Minnesota Shines As A Top State For Drivers This Year

Minnesota is once again among the best states in the nation to be a driver.

WalletHub compared all 50 states across 31 metrics to determine which is the best for drivers. Congestion cost the average driver $894 in 2025 based on the average time spent in traffic (49 hours).

When it comes to road quality, the World Economic Forum ranks the United States 17th out of 141 countries.

WalletHub's report used categories like Cost of Ownership/Maintenance, Traffic/Infrastructure, Safety and Access to Vehicles/Maintenance, with 31 sub-categories under those headers.

WHY IS MINNESOTA CONSIDERED A GREAT STATE FOR DRIVERS 

Minnesota ranked 10th overall in the study, sandwiched between #9 North Carolina and #11 Georgia. Minnesota scored particularly highly in the 'Safety' category (#14) and 'Access To Vehicles/Maintenance' category (#18).

The Land Of 10,000 Lakes also ranked #22 in Cost of Ownership and #27 for Traffic/Infrastructure.

“Owning a car can really squeeze your wallet if you’re not in the right location," said WalletHub's Chip Lupo. "On top of having pricey gas, maintenance and insurance expenses, some states can hurt you even more financially with excessive traffic congestion, which wastes both your fuel and your productivity. The best states to drive in are ones that are relatively rural, with smaller populations, a low cost of living, well-maintained roads and safe motorists.”

THE BEST US CITIES FOR DRIVERS 

Vermont took the top overall spot in the study, buoyed by its #2 ranking for Cost of Ownership/Maintenance; Iowa took second overall and Kansas third.

Tennessee is the #1-ranked state in the Cost of Ownership/Maintenance category, North Dakota took the top spot for Traffic, Alaska is the safest and California #1 for access to vehicles.