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Potholes and traffic: Pennsylvania ranks 36th in Best States to Drive in 2025

It won’t come as any surprise to Pennsylvania drivers to learn that the commonwealth did not rank too high in a recent report of the Best States to Drive in 2025.

Traffic on Interstate 476 in Media. (Shutterstock)

It won’t come as any surprise to Pennsylvania drivers to learn that the commonwealth did not rank too high in a recent report of the Best States to Drive in 2025. 

Driving can be dangerous, even without having to avoid the potholes on Pennsylvania roads. From being stuck in traffic to driving on safe, well-maintained roads, the Keystone State did not rank too favorably in a recent study on Best and Worst States to Drive in 2025.

A new report from financial planning website WalletHub ranked Pennsylvania 36th in the nation for best states to drive in. Kansas came in first, followed by Idaho and Indiana.

Driving conditions aren’t consistent across the entire country. To identify the best states to drive in, WalletHub compared all 50 states across 31 key indicators of a positive commute, from average gas prices to rush-hour traffic congestion and road quality.

For anyone that has taken a trip on just about any road in Pennsylvania, it’s not surprising to learn that WalletHub ranked the state 38th in the nation for road quality. Going hand-in-hand with that, the state also ranked 38th for auto-maintenance costs.

Pennsylvania also got a low rating for average gas price, coming in at 37th in the nation. According to AAA, the current average price of regular gas in Pennsylvania is around $3.35 per gallon.

There are a few silver linings in the state, though. According to WalletHub, Pennsylvania ranked 7th in the nation for traffic fatality rate, 9th in the nation for rush-hour traffic congestion, and 14th for car theft rate.

The commonwealth scored its highest rankings in auto repair shops per capita (2nd) and car dealerships per capita (3rd). Seems fitting considering all the damage a pothole can cause a car in Pennsylvania.

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Patrick Berkery
Patrick Berkery Senior Newsletter Editor
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