Transportation in Chicago, IL
Commute patterns, travel times, and transportation modes — 2023 ACS Data
Commute Overview
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023)Mean Commute
27 min
+17% vs national
Drive Alone
46.0%
-42% vs national
Public Transit
19.3%
+2041% vs national
Work From Home
18.3%
+97% vs national
Carpool
7.4%
Walk / Bike
7.1%
combined
How Chicago's Commute Compares
Source: Census ACS (2023)How People Get to Work
Source: Census ACS (2023)Commute Mode Breakdown
Source: Census ACS (2023)Traffic Fatalities
Source: NHTSA FARS (2023)Fatalities
167
2023
6-Year Avg
176
fatalities/yr
Pedestrian
51
Cyclist
7
Nighttime
111
dark conditions
| Year | Crashes | Fatalities | Alcohol | Pedestrian | Cyclist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 159 | 167 | 0 | 51 | 7 |
| 2022 | 173 | 192 | 0 | 54 | 9 |
| 2021 | 216 | 233 | 0 | 67 | 11 |
| 2020 | 177 | 190 | 13 | 54 | 8 |
| 2019 | 135 | 141 | 26 | 51 | 5 |
| 2018 | 123 | 134 | 32 | 47 | 6 |
Data from NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Includes only crashes involving at least one fatality.
The average commute in Chicago, IL is 27 minutes, which is 17.1% above the national average of 23 minutes. 46.0% of workers drive alone, compared to the national average of 78.7%. 18.3% work from home, which is above the IL state average of 8.4%. Public transit is used by 19.3% of commuters, compared to the national average of 0.9%. 7.4% of workers carpool. 5.7% walk to work. 1.4% commute by bicycle. In 2023, there were 167 traffic fatalities from 159 fatal crashes. 51 were pedestrians.