Portland Ranks Near the Bottom for Best Cities to Drive in

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Tuesday, July 12, 2016

GoLocalPDX News Team

Portland ranks as the 73rd best city for driving our of 100 cities that were ranked, according to a recent study done by WalletHub. 

Portland ranks 66 for ownership & maintenance, 73 for traffic conditions and infrastructure quality, 68 for auto safety and 19 for auto availability and maintenance accessibility. 

The Rankings 

Portland ranks 73 behind Freemont, California and St. Paul Minnesota at 71 and 72, while ranking ahead of New Orleans Louisiana and Cincinnati Ohio at 74 and 75. 

Scottsdale, Arizona is ranked as the best place for driving, while Washington, D.C. is ranked as the worst. 

For the full rankings, see the map below. 

The Method 

WalletHub's analysts compared the 100 most populated U.S. cities across four key dimensions including ownership and maintenance costs, traffic conditions and infrastructure quality, auto safety and auto availability and maintenance accessibility. 

WalletHub firs identified 21 relevant metrics. Each metric was given a value between 0 and 100, where 100 is the most favorable. 

WalletHub then calculated the overall score for each city using the weighted average a cross all of the metrics and ranked the cities. 

Ownership & Maintenance Costs – Total Points: 30

• Average Gas Prices: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
• Average Annual Car Insurance Premium: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
• Auto-Maintenance Costs: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
• Average Parking Rate: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
• Cost of a New Car: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)

Traffic Conditions & Infrastructure Quality – Total Points: 30

• Average Annual Hours of Traffic Delays: Full Weight (~6.32 Points)
• Number of Days with Precipitation: Full Weight (~6.32 Points)
• Number of Cold Days: Full Weight (~6.32 Points)
• Note: This metric specifically measures the mean number of days with a minimum temperature of 32 degrees F or lower.
• Average Commute Time: Full Weight (~6.32 Points)
• Quality of Roads: Half* Weight (~3.16 Points)
• Quality of Bridges: Quarter* Weight (~1.58 Points)

Auto Safety – Total Points: 30

• Accident Likelihood in City vs. National Average: Full Weight (~5.45 Points)
• Number of Motor-Vehicle Crash Deaths per Capita: Full Weight (~5.45 Points)
• Rate of Car Thefts: Full Weight (~5.45 Points)
• Rate of Larceny: Full Weight (~5.45 Points)
• WalletHub “DUI Punishment Strictness” Ranking: Half* Weight (~2.73 Points)
• WalletHub “High-Risk Driver Insurance-Premium Penalty” Ranking: Half* Weight (~2.73 Points)
• Driving-Laws Rating: Half* Weight (~2.73 Points)

Auto Availability & Maintenance Accessibility – Total Points: 10

• Number of Car Dealerships per 100,000 Residents: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
• Number of Auto-Repair Shops per 100,000 Residents: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
• Number of Car Washes per 100,000 Residents: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)

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