This page delivers traffic analytics for North Carolina. Our metrics are calculated with multi-sourced, cross-verified data from real-world mobile and sensor networks, and averaged for North Carolina among 39,529 road miles divided in 779,082 segments. Our metrics go beyond simple volume counts to provide actionable insights on traffic intensity, congestion, commercial vehicle flow, and network performance with highest possible granularity (average segment length is 268 ft). Whether you are evaluating a new retail location, planning logistics routes, or assessing infrastructure needs, this data helps you move from assumptions to certainty.
Data sourced from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform.
The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.
6,332
Trucks
Trucks
The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.
8.7%
Average travel time
Average travel time
The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.
32.3 min
Congestion ratio
Congestion ratio
The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.
18.6%
Drivers’ average age
Drivers’ average age
Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.
46.0 yrs
Drivers’ average income
Drivers’ average income
Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.
$79,464
Our data indicates an estimated average traffic volume of 6,332 vehicles per day in North Carolina that results in 273,243,430 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈99.7 billion per year). The traffic stream is comprised of an average of 1 truck for every 11 vehicles. Typical time spent behind the wheel per trip is 32.3 minutes, which already accounts for delays at signals, intersections, and congestion.
Analytical insight
When compared to the US national averages: North Carolina sees 9% lower average daily traffic volume than the national average (6,332 vehicles per day against 6,986), suggesting less demand on each road - a critical factor for logistics and site planning. Across the whole network that adds up to 273,243,430 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈99.7 billion per year), roughly 3.6% of the national total. Journey times run 3% lower than the national level, at 32.3 minutes on average. At 2% lower than the national level, the 18.6% congestion ratio signals smoother traffic flow - crucial for traffic control improvement and logistics planning. North Carolina carries more traffic than 56% of states nationwide. On travel time, North Carolina runs longer than 26% of states nationwide.
Highway vs. Non-Highway Traffic Analysis
Highway Traffic
Traffic
Traffic
The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.
14,850
Trucks
Trucks
The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.
12.1%
Average travel time
Average travel time
The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.
39.3 min
Congestion ratio
Congestion ratio
The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.
32.5%
Drivers’ average age
Drivers’ average age
Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.
46.1 yrs
Drivers’ average income
Drivers’ average income
Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.
$76,889
A significant volume of traffic in North Carolina utilizes the highway network. The average highway carries 14,850 vehicles per day, 166% more than the average non-highway road in the same area, which carries 5,576 vehicles per day. That average covers 9,419 highway road miles divided in 63,520 segments (average segment length 783 ft), together carrying 142,903,294 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈52.2 billion per year). By highway travel volume, that ranks North Carolina in the top 5 states nationwide. Trucks constitute 12.1% of highway traffic.
Analytical insight
At 12.1%, highway truck share is 8% lower than the national average, marking North Carolina as a primarily local traffic hub - underscoring the importance of local access for logistics operators. By truck concentration, highways here outrank 38% of states nationwide. North Carolina's highway truck count is higher than 56% of states nationwide, at roughly 1,794 trucks per day.
Non-highway traffic
Traffic
Traffic
The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.
5,576
Trucks
Trucks
The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.
5.1%
Average travel time
Average travel time
The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.
31.7 min
Congestion ratio
Congestion ratio
The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.
17.7%
Drivers’ average age
Drivers’ average age
Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.
46.1 yrs
Drivers’ average income
Drivers’ average income
Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.
$81,677
The non-highway road network in North Carolina supports a substantial volume of traffic. The average non-highway road carries 5,576 vehicles per day, 62% less than the average highway in the same area, which carries 14,850 vehicles per day. That average covers 30,110 non-highway road miles divided in 715,562 segments (average segment length 222 ft), together carrying 130,340,139 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈47.6 billion per year). Trucks constitute 5.1% of non-highway traffic.
Analytical insight
Compared to highways, non-highway routes see 58% fewer trucks by share. Non-highway congestion (17.7%) runs 3% lower than the national average, pointing to smoother local traffic flow. North Carolina's overall average travel time exceeds 26% of states nationwide. Trip origins here have higher average income than 28% of states nationwide. The driver population here skews older than 54% of states nationwide.
Time-of-Day & Seasonal Patterns
Peak Traffic Windows
Weekday peaks:
AM peak 7:00 AM–9:00 AM and PM peak 4:00 PM–6:00 PM, with volumes reaching approximately 77% higher than the daily average.
Weekend traffic:
Weekend volumes run about 17% below weekday levels.
Seasonal Fluctuation
Busy season:
June–August is the high season, with volumes +5% versus the annual average.
Lowest month:
January is the quietest month, with volumes -11% versus the annual average.
Analytical insight
In North Carolina, the peak hour concentrates about 7% of the day's traffic, and seasonal swing is mild at +5% in high season.
Traffic Flow Profile Comparison
Metric
North Carolina
N/A
Average
Difference
Traffic
6,332
6,986
-9.4%
Truck % (Total Traffic)
8.7%
9.3%
-6.6%
Truck % (Highway)
12.1%
13.1%
-7.6%
Avg. Travel Time
32.3 min
33.3 min
-3.0%
How North Carolina compares
North Carolina against nearby states
Compared with its 4 closest neighbours, North Carolina moves 2.4 times the total daily travel; it has the fourth busiest roads of the five. It is bigger rather than busier: the extra travel comes from carrying more road, not from heavier roads.
North Carolina and the 4 nearest states by centroid distance, with the United States average for scale.
North Carolina's three busiest counties account for 25.1% of all the vehicle-miles measured in the state.
Ranked by daily vehicle-miles, across the 100 counties in North Carolina with a published traffic page. Vehicle-miles is total travel, so this ranks by traffic MOVED rather than by how busy a typical road is.
North Carolina's five most truck-intensive counties account for just 6.1% of the truck vehicle-miles driven in the state. Truck share says where trucks dominate the mix; it does not say where the freight is.
Ranked by truck share of all traffic, across the same 100 counties, shown with the traffic volume that share is measured against.
The average daily traffic volume is calculated at 6,332 vehicles per day, providing a baseline for daily operations and site assessment.
North Carolina's average travel time of 32.3 minutes is longer than 26% of states nationwide.
Trucks account for approximately 8.7% of the total traffic mix across all road types, with a significantly higher concentration of 12.1% on highways.
Weekday peaks occur between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM in the morning and between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM in the evening - about 77% above the daily average.
The average travel time for drivers is 32.3 minutes, offering a standard metric for commute and delivery route planning.
Traffic volumes are typically 5% higher during June–August. Volumes drop to their lowest levels in January, averaging 5,655 vehicles per day - a 11% decrease from the annual average.
Data Sources & Methodology
The data presented on this page is derived from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform, which aggregates and normalizes information from multiple sources, including:
Mobile device location data (anonymized and aggregated)
