Lonely road: The counties in Florida where people drive to work alone the most

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In Florida, 69.1% of workers over 16 drove alone for their commutes in 2023.

In general, states in the central part of the country had the highest rates of drive-alone commutes, between the central South and Midwest. Mississippi and Alabama were the top states for solo commutes, with about 8 in 10 people driving alone to work. They were followed closely by neighboring Louisiana and Arkansas, where 78.7% and 78.3% of commuters drove alone, respectively.

As of 2023, these states had below-average rates of remote work as compared to the rest of the nation. In Mississippi, for instance, only 5.5% of people worked from home, compared to 15.2% nationally. Lacking opportunities to work remotely, commuters in these states maintained their solo drives.

Most leading states also have below-average gas prices, making drive-alone commutes more affordable. And with lower population density, there is more space between homes and workplaces, making other transportation modes less feasible.

Meanwhile, states in the Northeast and Northwest have lower drive-alone rates. In New York, fewer than half of workers drive alone to work. Solo drivers comprise between 62% and 65% of commuters in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Hawai'i, Oregon, and Washington. Each has some combination of population density, heightened environmental consciousness, existing or expanding infrastructure for public transit, cycling, and walkability, and incentives for carpooling. As a result, residents of the Northeast and Northwest are more likely to use alternative commute methods.

Additionally, the Northeast and Northwest offer plentiful jobs in business, finance, information, and other professional services—industries with more capabilities for remote work, per 2023 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most employers in these industries increased telework after the pandemic's onset and continue to offer it at higher rates than the economy overall, BLS data shows. This further minimizes the need for drive-alone commutes in those areas.

Remote work opportunities have fallen since the pandemic's peak, and some have reverted back to their former driving habits. However, as the return of heavy traffic harms people's health, the economy, and the planet, and as gas prices in most areas of the country remain high, individuals and communities may continue seeking ways to cut down on their driving trips.

Read on to see the counties in Florida with the most drive-alone commutes.

In the Northwest and mid-Atlantic, people drive to work alone at the lowest rates
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- Workers who drove alone: 72.9%
- Difference from state share: 3.8 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 1.2 percentage points higher

#49. Manatee County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 72.9%
- Difference from state share: 3.8 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 1.2 percentage points higher

#49. Palm Beach County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 73.2%
- Difference from state share: 4.1 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 1.5 percentage points higher

#47. Okeechobee County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 73.2%
- Difference from state share: 4.1 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 1.5 percentage points higher

#47. Seminole County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 73.5%
- Difference from state share: 4.4 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 1.8 percentage points higher

#46. Osceola County
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- Workers who drove alone: 73.8%
- Difference from state share: 4.7 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 2.1 percentage points higher

#45. Broward County
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- Workers who drove alone: 74%
- Difference from state share: 4.9 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 2.3 percentage points higher

#44. Collier County
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- Workers who drove alone: 74.5%
- Difference from state share: 5.4 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 2.8 percentage points higher

#43. Hamilton County
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- Workers who drove alone: 74.7%
- Difference from state share: 5.6 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 3.0 percentage points higher

#41. Charlotte County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 74.7%
- Difference from state share: 5.6 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 3.0 percentage points higher

#41. Duval County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 74.8%
- Difference from state share: 5.7 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 3.1 percentage points higher

#40. Lee County
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- Workers who drove alone: 74.9%
- Difference from state share: 5.8 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 3.2 percentage points higher

#39. Bradford County
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- Workers who drove alone: 75%
- Difference from state share: 5.9 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 3.3 percentage points higher

#37. Franklin County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 75%
- Difference from state share: 5.9 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 3.3 percentage points higher

#37. Sarasota County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 75.4%
- Difference from state share: 6.3 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 3.7 percentage points higher

#36. Leon County
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- Workers who drove alone: 75.5%
- Difference from state share: 6.4 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 3.8 percentage points higher

#35. Clay County
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- Workers who drove alone: 75.8%
- Difference from state share: 6.7 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 4.1 percentage points higher

#34. Martin County
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- Workers who drove alone: 75.9%
- Difference from state share: 6.8 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 4.2 percentage points higher

#33. Dixie County
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- Workers who drove alone: 76%
- Difference from state share: 6.9 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 4.3 percentage points higher

#32. Hernando County
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- Workers who drove alone: 76.3%
- Difference from state share: 7.2 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 4.6 percentage points higher

#31. Volusia County
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- Workers who drove alone: 76.5%
- Difference from state share: 7.4 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 4.8 percentage points higher

#30. Indian River County
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- Workers who drove alone: 76.8%
- Difference from state share: 7.7 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 5.1 percentage points higher

#29. Lake County
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- Workers who drove alone: 77.1%
- Difference from state share: 8.0 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 5.4 percentage points higher

#28. Okaloosa County
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- Workers who drove alone: 77.2%
- Difference from state share: 8.1 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 5.5 percentage points higher

#27. Highlands County
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- Workers who drove alone: 77.5%
- Difference from state share: 8.4 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 5.8 percentage points higher

#26. Baker County
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- Workers who drove alone: 77.6%
- Difference from state share: 8.5 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 5.9 percentage points higher

#24. Citrus County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 77.6%
- Difference from state share: 8.5 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 5.9 percentage points higher

#24. Columbia County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 77.7%
- Difference from state share: 8.6 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 6.0 percentage points higher

#23. Brevard County
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- Workers who drove alone: 78.1%
- Difference from state share: 9.0 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 6.4 percentage points higher

#22. Bay County
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- Workers who drove alone: 78.5%
- Difference from state share: 9.4 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 6.8 percentage points higher

#20. Marion County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 78.5%
- Difference from state share: 9.4 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 6.8 percentage points higher

#20. Putnam County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 78.6%
- Difference from state share: 9.5 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 6.9 percentage points higher

#19. Taylor County
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- Workers who drove alone: 78.8%
- Difference from state share: 9.7 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 7.1 percentage points higher

#18. Levy County
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- Workers who drove alone: 79%
- Difference from state share: 9.9 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 7.3 percentage points higher

#17. Santa Rosa County
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- Workers who drove alone: 79.5%
- Difference from state share: 10.4 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 7.8 percentage points higher

#16. Polk County
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- Workers who drove alone: 79.8%
- Difference from state share: 10.7 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 8.1 percentage points higher

#15. St. Lucie County
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- Workers who drove alone: 79.9%
- Difference from state share: 10.8 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 8.2 percentage points higher

#14. Liberty County
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- Workers who drove alone: 80.3%
- Difference from state share: 11.2 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 8.6 percentage points higher

#13. Madison County
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- Workers who drove alone: 80.5%
- Difference from state share: 11.4 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 8.8 percentage points higher

#12. Jefferson County
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- Workers who drove alone: 80.8%
- Difference from state share: 11.7 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 9.1 percentage points higher

#11. Calhoun County
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- Workers who drove alone: 81.3%
- Difference from state share: 12.2 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 9.6 percentage points higher

#10. Nassau County
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- Workers who drove alone: 82%
- Difference from state share: 12.9 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 10.3 percentage points higher

#9. Gadsden County
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- Workers who drove alone: 82.1%
- Difference from state share: 13.0 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 10.4 percentage points higher

#8. Suwannee County
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- Workers who drove alone: 83.3%
- Difference from state share: 14.2 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 11.6 percentage points higher

#6. Wakulla County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 83.3%
- Difference from state share: 14.2 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 11.6 percentage points higher

#6. Washington County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 84.1%
- Difference from state share: 15.0 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 12.4 percentage points higher

#5. Jackson County
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- Workers who drove alone: 84.8%
- Difference from state share: 15.7 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 13.1 percentage points higher

#4. Gilchrist County
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- Workers who drove alone: 85.6%
- Difference from state share: 16.5 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 13.9 percentage points higher

#3. Holmes County
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- Workers who drove alone: 86.1%
- Difference from state share: 17.0 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 14.4 percentage points higher

#2. Lafayette County
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- Workers who drove alone: 88.1%
- Difference from state share: 19.0 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 16.4 percentage points higher

This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

#1. Union County
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