New York ranks as the fourth-worst city for drivers among the 100 largest cities in the U.S., based on a recent study by WalletHub. The personal-finance website placed New York 97th overall in its 2026 list of the Best and Worst Cities to Drive In, assigning the city an overall score of 38.27 out of 100.
Traffic and Infrastructure Rankings in New York City
The research analyzed cities based on 30 different metrics covering infrastructure, traffic, driving expenses, safety, and the availability of vehicle maintenance. New York ranked 100th for traffic and infrastructure, marking the lowest score in that category among all the cities studied. WalletHub noted that Americans lose an average of $894 each year because of time spent in traffic.
Among the individual measures evaluated in the report, New York placed 65th for annual hours spent in congestion per auto commuter and 52nd for accident likelihood compared with the national average. The city also ranked 79th for average parking rates and 64th for average gas prices.
Did You Know? WalletHub evaluated 30 driver-friendliness indicators across the 100 largest cities in the country, pointing out that a lower numerical rank indicates a better position in the study.
Costs and Maintenance Across Urban Centers
Vehicle upkeep and maintenance also weighed heavily on New York’s overall standing. The city placed 87th regarding the expenses of maintaining and owning a car and 83rd for maintenance and vehicle access. New York tied for the lowest positions in specific subcategories, ranking 100th for auto-repair shops per capita and 100th for auto-maintenance costs.
Despite low scores in infrastructure and maintenance expenses, the city’s safety ranking was notably stronger at 21st overall. New York recorded a ranking of 19th for its car-theft rate.
Scottsdale ranks first while Philadelphia places last
Nationwide, Scottsdale, Arizona, ranked first overall in the 2026 study, followed by Boise, Idaho, and Fort Wayne, Indiana. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Philadelphia ranked 100th overall as the worst city to drive in.
Other regional neighbors also scored near the bottom of the index. Washington ranked 99th, Baltimore ranked 92nd, Jersey City ranked 88th, Newark ranked 87th, and Pittsburgh placed 62nd.
New York scores lowest in traffic and infrastructure
What overall score did New York receive in the study?
New York received an overall score of 38.27 out of 100 in WalletHub’s 2026 list of the Best and Worst Cities to Drive In.
How did New York perform in traffic and infrastructure?
New York ranked 100th for traffic and infrastructure, which was the lowest score in that specific category among all the cities studied.
Which city ranked as the absolute worst to drive in?
Philadelphia ranked 100th overall, making it the lowest-scoring city in the entire 2026 study.
How do traffic conditions and parking rates in your daily commute compare to the national averages tracked in metropolitan rankings?
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