How Much Would You Pay to Skip Your Commute?

How much is never sitting in rush-hour traffic again worth to you? For some Ohio workers, apparently thousands of dollars a year.

A new survey from Resume.io asked more than 3,000 workers how much salary they’d be willing to give up to avoid their regular commute. On average, Ohio workers said they’d take a pay cut of about $2,800 a year.

And the commute Ohioans would pay the most to escape is right here in Northeast Ohio.

The I-90 and I-271 interchange in the Cleveland area topped the state’s list, with commuters willing to sacrifice nearly $3,000 a year to avoid it.

The I-71/I-75 commute in Cincinnati ranked second, followed by I-70/I-71 in Columbus.

It turns out a rough commute can even be a dealbreaker when looking for a job. Nationwide, 46% of workers surveyed said they’ve turned down a job because the commute was too long or difficult, while 59% said they’d consider a lower-paying job if it significantly shortened their commute.

And it’s not just about gas money. Nearly a third said stress or anxiety was the biggest personal cost of commuting, followed by losing time with family and losing sleep.