In what will come as no surprise to residents of the five boroughs, New York City has been ranked as one of the worst cities in the country to drive, according to a recent study.
WalletHub, an online financial advisory site, released its annual list of Best & Worst Cities to Drive In, with first place representing the best city to drive in and 100th representing the worst.
“Car prices have gone up significantly over the past few years, and gas remains expensive going into the summer travel season. Living in one of the best cities to drive in can make owning and maintaining a car much cheaper. However, costs aren’t the only factors that matter; the best cities for drivers also minimize commute times and traffic congestion, have accident rates well below the national average and keep their roads in good condition,” said Wallethub analyst Chip Lupo.
The Big Apple ranked 97th overall, making it the fourth worst city to drive in the country.
The study analyzed 30 key indicators of a positive commute across the country’s 100 most-populated cities to develop a comprehensive ranking of existing driving conditions.
The key indicators were grouped into four categories: cost of ownership and maintenance; traffic and infrastructure; safety; and access to vehicles and maintenance.
The metrics were then weighted and used to determine rankings within each of the four categories and then an overall score.
New York City performed poorly in three of the four categories, ranking 100th in traffic and infrastructure, 90th in cost of ownership and maintenance and 81st in access to vehicles and maintenance.
Perhaps the only thing saving New York City from ranking dead last overall was an above average performance in the safety category, where it ranked 39th.
According to the study, the best five cities to drive in are: Corpus Christi, Texas (1st); Greensboro, North Carolina (2nd); Boise, Idaho (3rd); Scottsdale, Arizona (4th); and Laredo, Texas (5th).
And, according to the study, the worst five cities to drive are: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (100th); Oakland, California (99th); Washington, D.C. (98th); New York City, New York (97th); and Chicago, Illinois (96th).