Earlier this month the website nerdwallet.com released a study examining Atlanta traffic. Using census data, average gas prices and insurance premiums, the report attempted to identify the costliest commutes in the metro area.
I found the results quite surprising. According to their data here are the ten most expensive commutes in Atlanta:
10. Fayetteville
9. Douglasville
8. Sugar Hill
7. Villa Rica
6. Woodstock
5. Suwannee
4. Riverdale
3. Lawrenceville
2. Snellville
1. Loganville
While I expected Sugar Hill, Woodstock, Suwanee and Lawrenceville to crack the top 10, I was very surprised at the top two, Snellville and Loganville. Granted, I know the commutes from these eastern suburbs can be very rough (especially heading to and from town on Highway 78), I just didn’t think they’d top the list.
According to NerdList’s data, Loganville commuters pay an average of $3.47 for a gallon of gas and $1,415.08 a year on car insurance premiums. Combined with the 36-mile distance to downtown Atlanta, the mean commute time of 36.2 minutes and the high percentage (83.1 percent) of single drivers, Loganville commuters, according to the study, have the most expensive commute.
Snellvillians have the second most expensive commute, paying an average $3.50 per gallon of gas, $1,396.83 annually in car insurance with mean commute time of 32.3 minutes.
The study ranked the 48 most expensive commutes in metro Atlanta, using cities of populations of 15,000 people or more.
Other notable expensive commutes on the list:
11. Acworth
14. Duluth
15. McDonough
19. Stockbridge
20. Kennesaw
27. Buford
28. Conyers
29. Canton
33. Peachtree City
35. Winder
37. Newnan
39. Roswell
40. Alpharetta
41. Marietta
48. Gainsville
For the complete list of cities and a full breakdown of the study, go to www.nerdwallet.com/blog and click on “NerdWallet’s Best Gas Cards, Fall 2014.”
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