3 Wisconsin Suburbs Named Among Nation's 'Burnout Belts'

WISCONSIN — Three Wisconsin suburbs were named among the nation’s top "burnout belts," according to a new ranking that looked at where commutes are taking the biggest toll on drivers.

The ranking, from A Mission for Michael, was based on a survey of 3,002 drivers who were asked to identify commutes most associated with burnout, including congestion, roadwork and time spent getting to and from work.

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Waukesha ranked No. 38 nationally for commuters heading into Milwaukee, the highest placement among Wisconsin locations.

Suamico ranked No. 62 for commuters heading into Green Bay, while Middleton ranked No. 103 for commuters heading into Madison.

The survey described the Waukesha-to-Milwaukee commute as one where "mornings disappear into the drive, and evenings shrink accordingly."

"The road into Milwaukee tells a familiar story of time traded for distance," the report said. "Waukesha commuters know the rhythm well: personal time becomes a narrow window that keeps getting pushed later into the night."

The top burnout belt in the country was Palmdale, California, for commuters heading into Los Angeles.

Other places in the national top 10 included White Plains, New York; Tracy, California; Homestead, Florida; Temecula, California; Tacoma, Washington; Sandy Springs, Georgia; Frederick, Maryland; Katy, Texas; and Naperville, Illinois.

"Burnout is often framed as something that happens at work, but for many people, it starts and ends with the commute," Anand Meta, executive director of A Mission for Michael, said in the report. "When you’re losing hours of your day before and after work even begins, it leaves very little room to recover."

Meta said the daily drain can affect mental well-being over time, even when it is not immediately obvious.