California leads list of worst cities to drive in

California is one of the worst states to drive in. Meanwhile, North Carolina is among the best. That’s according to WalletHub’slist of  2020’s Best and Worst Cities to Drive In.

Using more than 30 key metrics, WalletHub ranked the 100 largest U.S. cities to see which are the most driver-friendly. Three North Carolina cities cracked the top 10. In California, four cities ranked in the bottom 10. The best cities for driving are:

1. Lincoln, Neb.
2. Raleigh, N.C.
3. Corpus Christi, Texas.
4. Greensboro, N.C.
5. Boise, Idaho.
6. Plano, Texas.
7. Winston-Salem, N.C.
8. Nashville, Tenn.
9. Orlando, Fla.
10. Omaha, Neb.

WalletHub’s worst cities to drive in include:

1. Oakland, Calif.
2. Philadelphia.
3. San Francisco.
4. Detroit.
5. New York.
6. Los Angeles.
7. Chicago.
8. San Bernardino, Calif.
9. Newark, N.J.
10. Seattle.

WalletHub’s list was compiled by measuring cities in four key categories: cost of ownership/maintenance, traffic/infrastructure, safety, and access to vehicles/maintenance. Subcategories measured include average fuel prices, hours spent in congestion, traffic fatality rate, and parking lots/garages per capita.

San Antonio has the lowest average gas price at $1.75, WalletHub reports.

Meanwhile, the average gas price of $3.35 in San Francisco is the highest in the nation. According to TruckMiles, the average diesel price in Texas is $2.167, the third lowest in the nation. California’s average diesel price of $3.23 is the highest. In fact, California has been the only state reporting average diesel prices above $3 since June. The second highest diesel price is $2.882 in Connecticut.

According to WalletHub, Boston has the lowest traffic fatality rate. Baton Rouge has the highest, nearly 11 times higher than Boston. It is worth noting that Boston is ranked as the most congested city in the U.S., according to INRIX. Slower speeds due to congestion could be a factor in the low traffic fatality rate.

Parking is not only a trucking problem. According to WalletHub, New York City has the highest parking rate at more than $40 per two hours. Corpus Christi and Reno, Nev.’s parking rates are 40 times lower at $1 per two hours, making the two cities the cheapest place to park.

Check out the full report here.