Through a pretty sophisticated system, some economists spell out the best and worst states to drive in and own a car in the United States.
Have you ever sat in traffic and absolutely loved it? No, that's impossible. Not only is traffic the ire of all drivers everywhere because it makes you sit and wait and late, but it costs the average driver about an extra $1,400 per year. So, it's taking money from you; insult to injury right there.
WalletHub just put out a pretty thorough report from a handful of economists who just killed the game on mapping out the best and worst states to drive in. Congestion wasn't the only bugaboo on the list—-in fact road conditions were also considered among others. One state may have buttery smooth roads (like in Arizona) or may make your driving experience a version of the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland with the amount of potholes.
Arizona Highway 64
WalletHub compared all 50 states across 23 key indicators like average gas prices to road quality to safety of owning a car (i.e. theft). The best state to have and hold a car? Texas. The worst? Hawaii. Sweet spot right in the middle? West Virginia.
Here's a small breakdown of some of those key indicators:
- Best State For Cost of Ownership: Alabama
- Best State For Traffic Congestion (least congested): Nebraska
- Worst State For Traffic: Massachusetts
- Worst State For Safety: New Mexico
Let's Talk Safety
Safety of car ownership is always a main focus. Outside of hating traffic, we're pretty sure no one actually like when their car is stolen, vandalized, burned, booted, tires are stolen, etc. The top five states to not worry so much about these kinds of things are Vermont, Pennsylvania, New York, New Hampshire, and Maine. So, if you really like cold weather and really thick New England accents, head to one of those five states to keep your car safe.
Facebook: Stolen Cars DMV
If you live in New Mexico, Alaska, California, Washington, or Nevada you can kiss your car goodbye. Well, maybe not that drastic, but those states turned out to be the top 5 worst states when it comes to car theft. Might be good to invest in The Club.
Feeling Gassy
Until you get that Tesla you ordered or pick up the newest Chevy Bolt, you're going to have to pump gas the old fashioned way. Since this is still the case for most of the country, it matters how much gas prices are throughout the country.
The top states in the country to pump gas for cheaper are Missouri, Alabama, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and South Carolina. The worst? Oregon Washington, California, Alaska, and Hawaii. Those west coast states get amazing seaside vistas though.
NEXT: This Visualization of Traffic Puts It All In Perspective
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