New Yorkers Working More Than 49 Hours a Week Thanks to Long Commutes

NEW YORK - AUGUST 23: People crowd into a full subway car August 23, 2011 in the Manhattan borough of New York. In 2010, New York's subway system delivered over 1.6 billion rides, averaging 5 million rides on weekdays, over three million on Saturdays and over two million on Sundays. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)
Yes, your commute is worse than everyone else’s. Photo: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images

A new report released by New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer shows that New Yorkers spend more time commuting than residents of 29 other major cities in the U.S. On average, New Yorkers spend 49 hours working or trying to get to work per week, with low-wage workers suffering through the worst commutes — often because they cannot afford to live close to public transportation. The total weekly commute can stretch to longer than six hours. 

If New York City is going to symbolize the American Dream, we can’t be a nightmare when it comes to long work hours and commuting,” Stringer said when announcing the findings.

Cooks, waiters, financial managers, janitors, and accountants all spend considerably more time on work in New York than they would elsewhere. 

New Yorkers Working More Than 49 Hours a Week