Chicago has officially taken the lead in a less-than-desirable category: America’s most congested traffic. Drivers in this vibrant city now find themselves spending over 100 hours each year stuck in gridlock, according to recent findings.

Previously, Chicago shared the dubious honor of having the worst traffic in the United States with the ever-busy New York City. Both cities were notorious for consuming hundreds of hours of valuable time from their residents. However, recent data from the well-regarded analytics company Inrix reveals that Chicago has now pulled ahead, cementing its position as the city with the most time-consuming commutes.

In the past year alone, Chicago drivers have wasted 112 hours in traffic jams, a significant increase driven by a recent 10% rise in lost driving time. This surge has placed Chicago firmly at the top of Inrix’s annual Global Traffic Scorecard.

Beyond the national stage, Chicago’s traffic woes have also catapulted it into the global spotlight, ranking it among the top three cities worldwide for traffic congestion. It now surpasses major international cities like London, Paris, Dublin, and Rome in terms of the time drivers spend idling on the roads.

The Illinois city also cracked the top three for worst traffic on the planet, overtaking global giants such as London, Paris, Dublin and Rome. 

The report shows Chicagoans are losing almost five days of their lives to traffic each year, racking up more than $2,000 in annual costs per driver. 

Major cities across the US weren’t spared either, with drivers nationwide losing 49 hours to traffic congestion in 2025 – a six-hour jump from the year before. 

Across all 50 states, congestion rose in 254 of the 290 cities analyzed in Intrix’s latest report. 

Chicago has claimed the title of America’s worst traffic, with drivers wasting 112 hours annually trapped behind the wheel

Chicagoans are losing almost five days of their lives to traffic each year, racking up more than $2,000 in annual costs per driver

Traffic slammed drivers in Manhattan with 102 lost hours, Philadelphia with 101 and Los Angeles with 87. 

Despite its reputation for standstill traffic and nonstop honking, New York’s congestion held steady.

The data suggests the reason the Big Apple’s traffic didn’t budge is likely the congestion pricing program, launched on January 5. 

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced last November that drivers entering areas of Manhattan below 60th Street or South of Central Park would pay a daytime toll of $9 come January.

She revealed that the plan was designed to ‘unclog our streets, reduce pollution and deliver better public transit for millions of New Yorkers.’

Drivers heading into some of New York’s busiest neighborhoods now pay $9 during peak hours on weekdays – 5am to 9pm – and 9am to 9pm on weekends. There is also a $2.25 charge for off-peak hours.

The only exceptions go for certain emergency vehicles, school buses, people with disabilities who can’t take public transportation and those who transport with them – all of which are exempt. 

The MTA claimed that the tolls were necessary to raise $15 billion for mass transit upgrades – extending the Second Avenue subway, signal improvements and the purchase of hundreds of new electric buses.

Despite its reputation for standstill traffic and nonstop honking, New York’s congestion held steady

Data suggests the reason the Big Apple’s traffic didn’t budge is likely the congestion pricing program, launched on January 5

Half a year later, Hochul declared the plan a success, easing congestion, speeding up traffic and slashing delays throughout the region. 

According to the governor’s report, the number of cars entering the congestion zone has dropped 11 percent since the program began. 

On average, 67,000 fewer vehicles enter the zone each day, and since the controversial pricing began, more than 10 million fewer cars entered in comparison to last year. 

The program has already generated over $216 million in tolls, with officials aiming to reach a staggering $500 million in its first year. 

A bright spot in 2025, Intrix noted, is that traffic-related deaths finally fell after four straight years of increases. 

In prior years, first-half fatalities hovered around 20,000, but in 2025, US road deaths totaled just over 17,000. 

Hybrid work, with 13 percent of Americans working from home, may have helped bring traffic fatalities down. 

Across the globe, Istanbul claimed its spot as the city with the worst traffic in the world, according to the report.