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

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In Nebraska, 76.9% 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 Nebraska 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: 77.4%
- Difference from state share: 0.5 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 5.7 percentage points higher

#50. Rock County
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- Workers who drove alone: 77.7%
- Difference from state share: 0.8 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 6.0 percentage points higher

#48. Dixon County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 77.7%
- Difference from state share: 0.8 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 6.0 percentage points higher

#48. Harlan County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 77.8%
- Difference from state share: 0.9 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 6.1 percentage points higher

#47. Dawson County
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- Workers who drove alone: 78.1%
- Difference from state share: 1.2 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 6.4 percentage points higher

#45. Cheyenne County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 78.1%
- Difference from state share: 1.2 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 6.4 percentage points higher

#45. Seward County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 78.3%
- Difference from state share: 1.4 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 6.6 percentage points higher

#44. Frontier County
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- Workers who drove alone: 78.4%
- Difference from state share: 1.5 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 6.7 percentage points higher

#43. Holt County
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- Workers who drove alone: 78.6%
- Difference from state share: 1.7 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 6.9 percentage points higher

#42. Custer County
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- Workers who drove alone: 78.7%
- Difference from state share: 1.8 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 7.0 percentage points higher

#41. Richardson County
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- Workers who drove alone: 78.8%
- Difference from state share: 1.9 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 7.1 percentage points higher

#39. Brown County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 78.8%
- Difference from state share: 1.9 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 7.1 percentage points higher

#39. Garfield County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 79%
- Difference from state share: 2.1 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 7.3 percentage points higher

#37. Butler County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 79%
- Difference from state share: 2.1 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 7.3 percentage points higher

#37. Dundy County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 79.1%
- Difference from state share: 2.2 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 7.4 percentage points higher

#35. Kimball County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 79.1%
- Difference from state share: 2.2 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 7.4 percentage points higher

#35. Pierce County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 79.3%
- Difference from state share: 2.4 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 7.6 percentage points higher

#33. Clay County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 79.3%
- Difference from state share: 2.4 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 7.6 percentage points higher

#33. Fillmore County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 79.5%
- Difference from state share: 2.6 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 7.8 percentage points higher

#32. Furnas County
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- Workers who drove alone: 79.7%
- Difference from state share: 2.8 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 8.0 percentage points higher

#31. Franklin County
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- Workers who drove alone: 80.2%
- Difference from state share: 3.3 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 8.5 percentage points higher

#30. Saunders County
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- Workers who drove alone: 80.3%
- Difference from state share: 3.4 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 8.6 percentage points higher

#28. Deuel County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 80.3%
- Difference from state share: 3.4 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 8.6 percentage points higher

#28. Platte County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 80.5%
- Difference from state share: 3.6 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 8.8 percentage points higher

#26. Cass County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 80.5%
- Difference from state share: 3.6 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 8.8 percentage points higher

#26. Cedar County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 80.7%
- Difference from state share: 3.8 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 9.0 percentage points higher

#25. Phelps County
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- Workers who drove alone: 80.8%
- Difference from state share: 3.9 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 9.1 percentage points higher

#24. Scotts Bluff County
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- Workers who drove alone: 80.9%
- Difference from state share: 4.0 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 9.2 percentage points higher

#23. Webster County
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- Workers who drove alone: 81%
- Difference from state share: 4.1 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 9.3 percentage points higher

#22. Washington County
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- Workers who drove alone: 81.1%
- Difference from state share: 4.2 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 9.4 percentage points higher

#20. Stanton County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 81.1%
- Difference from state share: 4.2 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 9.4 percentage points higher

#20. York County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 81.2%
- Difference from state share: 4.3 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 9.5 percentage points higher

#19. Sarpy County
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- Workers who drove alone: 81.4%
- Difference from state share: 4.5 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 9.7 percentage points higher

#18. Kearney County
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- Workers who drove alone: 82%
- Difference from state share: 5.1 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 10.3 percentage points higher

#16. Howard County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 82%
- Difference from state share: 5.1 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 10.3 percentage points higher

#16. Sherman County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 82.1%
- Difference from state share: 5.2 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 10.4 percentage points higher

#15. Saline County
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- Workers who drove alone: 82.4%
- Difference from state share: 5.5 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 10.7 percentage points higher

#14. Madison County
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- Workers who drove alone: 82.9%
- Difference from state share: 6.0 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 11.2 percentage points higher

#13. Buffalo County
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- Workers who drove alone: 83%
- Difference from state share: 6.1 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 11.3 percentage points higher

#12. Valley County
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- Workers who drove alone: 83.2%
- Difference from state share: 6.3 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 11.5 percentage points higher

#11. Hall County
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- Workers who drove alone: 83.3%
- Difference from state share: 6.4 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 11.6 percentage points higher

#10. Gage County
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- Workers who drove alone: 83.5%
- Difference from state share: 6.6 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 11.8 percentage points higher

#9. Adams County
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- Workers who drove alone: 83.6%
- Difference from state share: 6.7 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 11.9 percentage points higher

#8. Thayer County
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- Workers who drove alone: 83.7%
- Difference from state share: 6.8 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 12.0 percentage points higher

#7. Merrick County
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- Workers who drove alone: 83.8%
- Difference from state share: 6.9 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 12.1 percentage points higher

#6. Dodge County
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- Workers who drove alone: 84.1%
- Difference from state share: 7.2 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 12.4 percentage points higher

#5. Keith County
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- Workers who drove alone: 84.2%
- Difference from state share: 7.3 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 12.5 percentage points higher

#3. Cuming County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 84.2%
- Difference from state share: 7.3 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 12.5 percentage points higher

#3. Nemaha County (tie)
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- Workers who drove alone: 86.8%
- Difference from state share: 9.9 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 15.1 percentage points higher

#2. Lincoln County
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- Workers who drove alone: 89.6%
- Difference from state share: 12.7 percentage points higher
- Difference from national share: 17.9 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. Red Willow County
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