Driving In Seattle: Now Worse Than Los Angeles

SEATTLE, WA — Expensive, unsafe, and all worn out. That pretty much sums up the driving experience in the Seattle area, according to a new ranking of cities from the site WalletHub.

Seattle was ranked the 94th best city for driving in the U.S. — in other words, the 7th worst in the U.S. That's worse than big cities like Los Angeles and New York City.

WalletHub's ranking was based on data about the cost of owning a car, the quality of the traffic infrastructure, safety, and access to auto mechanics.

The Seattle area came in 85th on the list for cost of owning a car (AKA 15th worst). That measure includes factors like gas prices, the average cost of a new car (hello car tabs and local sales tax rates), and repair costs. Puget Sound was also the 91st worst for traffic infrastructure, which includes factors like congestion, precipitation, and road quality. Congestion here is so bad, the Seattle area was ranked one of the five worst alongside New York City, Boston, Washington, and Chicago.

We weren't the best place for safety, either. Seattle ranked No. 64 overall, worse than boozy New Orleans and snowy Boston. The only measure where we cracked the top 50 was for ease of access to car repair shops (No. 43).

If you're a Puget Sound driver sick of the cost and frustration of driving here, there is one easy solution: take the bus.

King County Metro in 2018 was named the best large transit system in the nation by the American Public Transportation Association. APTA gave Metro high marks for safety, customer service, and efficiency — you know, as long as crazed drivers don't hijack the bus lanes.