INRIX announced the results of their recent traffic survey (March 2020). They rated the top 10 most congested cities in the US based on the average number of hours lost commuting as follows:
Top 10 Most Congested Cities
1) Boston, MA: 149 hours lost per year
2) Chicago, IL: 145 hours lost per year
3) Philadelphia, PA: 142 hours lost per year
4) New York, NY: 140 hours lost per year
5) Washington, DC: 124 hours lost per year
6) Los Angeles, CA: 103 hours lost per year
7) San Francisco, CA: 97 hours lost per year
8) Portland, OR: 89 hours lost per year
9) Baltimore, MD: 84 hours lost per year
10) Atlanta, GA: 82 hours lost per year
In the San Francisco Bay Area for example, their research estimates that close to 80 hours on average is lost per year for commuters to the Menlo Park area whereas 90+ hours is lost for commuters to San Francisco. The last mile speed for commuters varies from 15 mph in San Francisco to 24 mph in San Jose.
Source: INRIX. Bay Area 4 Major Traffic Areas.
The cost to vehicles, freeways, emissions, and lost productivity add up. In San Francisco, for example, they estimate that $1,400 is lost on average by commuters per year.