SAN FRANCISCO - Rising gas prices hit all California drivers, but they land especially hard on workers who have the farthest to go.

Super-commuters—those who drive at least an hour each way to work—face fuel costs that are simply part of the deal when you live far from your job. When prices at the pump surge, as they have sharply in recent months, these workers absorb the blow with few options to reduce their exposure.

A recent PPIC analysis found that rising gas prices are straining household budgets across the state, particularly for lower- and middle-income families. Super-commuters are among the most vulnerable—and California has more than its share.

About one in eleven California workers—8.9%—spends at least an hour driving to work, ranking the state third in the nation. Only Maryland (9.8%) and Georgia (9.0%) have higher rates. At the other end of the spectrum sits Nebraska, where just 3.3% of workers face such long commutes.

Among California cities with at least 10,000 workers, the highest shares of super-commuters are found in places like Los Banos (48%), Adelanto (36%), Mountain House (35%), Lathrop (31%), and Tracy (31%), based on 2020–2024 American Community Survey data.

These communities share a common profile: they sit adjacent, but not close, to large employment centers in the Bay Area and coastal Southern California. Housing is more affordable in these commuter cites, and homeownership rates are high. Many families have made a deliberate tradeoff—accepting a long commute in exchange for owning a home, something that would be out of reach closer to where they work.

Homeownership rates among super-commuters are substantially higher than among other workers (65% vs. 55%).

Compared to other workers, super-commuters in California tend to be men (65% vs. 53%), in their thirties or forties (51% vs. 45%), with middle-range incomes (median wages of $68,000 vs. $50,000). They are disproportionately from households with children (50% vs. 45%). (Source: PPIC)

Story Date: June 12, 2026