In 2024, Wilmington, NC, sees a predominant reliance on cars for commuting, with over 91% of residents using this mode of transport. Despite the high car usage, the average commute time remains relatively low, indicating efficient traffic flow in the city.

Average Commute Times

The average commute time in Wilmington is approximately 21.73 minutes, with most of this time spent driving.
  • Car - Car commuters spend about 20.82 minutes driving, covering an average distance of 15.26 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Car
92%
Home
8%
Seasonal Trends

Traffic tends to increase during the summer months due to tourism, leading to longer commute times. Winter months see a slight decrease in traffic, offering smoother commutes.

Commuter Pain Points

Limited public transportation options force reliance on cars, increasing traffic congestion. Parking availability in downtown areas can be a challenge during peak hours.

Best Travel Times

Early mornings before 7 AM and late evenings after 7 PM are the best times to avoid traffic. Midday travel between 11 AM and 1 PM is also relatively smooth.

Event Impacts

Public events, especially during the Azalea Festival, significantly impact traffic, causing delays. Sporting events at the local university can lead to temporary congestion in surrounding areas.

Sustainability Efforts

Wilmington is exploring bike-sharing programs to reduce car dependency. The city is investing in electric vehicle charging stations to promote sustainable transport.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services have helped reduce the need for personal car ownership, easing parking demands. However, increased ride-sharing can contribute to congestion during peak hours.

Worldwide
United States

Traffic Rankings

The Traffic Index for the United States combines user-contributed data on commute times, traffic dissatisfaction, CO2 emissions, and traffic system inefficiencies in United States, to provide insights into overall traffic conditions.

Worst to BestUpdated: Jan, 2025
Full Traffic Rankings

Traffic Data

The following traffic data has been gathered from 12 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
9.5 miles
Walking
0.9 mins
Driving Car
20.8 mins
Total:
21.7 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
9.5 miles
Walking
0.9 mins
Driving Car
20.8 mins
Total:
21.7 mins
Wilmington Traffic

"Key Takeaways"

Encouraging the use of public transportation or cycling could significantly reduce CO2 emissions.

Improving traffic signal coordination may help decrease the inefficiency index.

Key Indexes

Emissions

Wilmington has a high CO2 emission index of 5537.64, reflecting the heavy reliance on cars.

Efforts to reduce emissions could focus on promoting alternative transportation methods.

Time

The time index of 21.73 indicates relatively efficient traffic flow despite high car usage.

There is potential to further reduce commute times by optimizing traffic signals and routes.

Inefficiency

An inefficiency index of 79.46 suggests room for improvement in traffic management.

Implementing smart traffic solutions could help alleviate inefficiencies.