Washington, D.C., has been ranked the second-worst city to drive in the country in a new study from WalletHub.
The nation’s capital came in at No. 99 out of 100 cities, beating only Philadelphia for the lowest overall ranking.
The study examined factors including traffic, infrastructure, driving safety, vehicle costs and access to automotive services.
D.C. ranked No. 99 overall
WalletHub gave Washington, D.C., an overall score of 36.36 out of 100, placing it just above Philadelphia, which scored 36.35.
The study compared the 100 most populated U.S. cities across 30 different metrics, with cities evaluated in four major categories:
- Cost of ownership and maintenance: No. 73
- Traffic and infrastructure: No. 97
- Safety: No. 96
- Access to vehicles and maintenance: No. 61
D.C.’s particularly poor scores for traffic and infrastructure and safety helped pull the city toward the bottom of the overall ranking.
Traffic and safety were major problems for D.C.
The capital’s No. 97 ranking for traffic and infrastructure was one of its weakest areas.
D.C. also ranked No. 96 for safety, with WalletHub listing the city among those with the highest likelihood of an accident compared with the national average. Washington was tied for No. 97 on that specific measure, alongside Los Angeles and Boston.
For drivers, the study paints a particularly difficult picture when it comes to navigating the city and staying safe on its roads.
Which cities are the best for drivers?
At the other end of the ranking, Scottsdale, Arizona, took the No. 1 spot, followed by Boise, Idaho, and Fort Wayne, Indiana.
WalletHub said it considered factors ranging from gas prices and car insurance costs to congestion, road conditions, accident likelihood and the availability of repair shops.
The study used data collected through September 8, 2026, and examined cities themselves rather than their surrounding metropolitan areas.
For D.C. drivers, meanwhile, the ranking offers another piece of evidence for something many commuters already know: getting behind the wheel in the nation’s capital can be a challenge.
