Traffic Predict
Los Angeles Traffic and the Economy
In August 2026, weekday freeway traffic in Los Angeles was about the same as a year earlier, with gas at $5.62 a gallon (+25% on the year).
Do gas prices and jobs move traffic here?
- Gas prices: a 10% rise in gas prices went with 0.08% more traffic than a year earlier, on average (a weak link: correlation 0.11).
- Unemployment: a 1-point rise in unemployment went with no measurable change in traffic than a year earlier, on average (a weak link: correlation -0.01).
Over 86 months, each compared with the same month a year earlier (so seasons cancel out); the pandemic months (March 2020 through 2021) are left out.
Freeway traffic compared with a year earlier
Month by month
| Month | Traffic vs a year earlier | Gas price | Gas vs a year earlier | Unemployment | Change on the year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | -0.4% | $5.62 | +25% | – | – |
| July 2026 | +0.5% | $5.45 | +21% | 4.9% | -0.4 pts |
| June 2026 | +0.3% | $5.64 | +22% | 5.0% | -0.3 pts |
| May 2026 | -0.9% | $6.13 | +29% | 5.1% | -0.1 pts |
| April 2026 | -0.2% | $5.98 | +24% | 5.1% | -0.1 pts |
| March 2026 | +0.2% | $5.53 | +18% | 5.1% | -0.1 pts |
| February 2026 | +0.8% | $4.55 | -3% | 5.2% | -0.1 pts |
| January 2026 | +1.1% | $4.35 | -2% | 5.2% | -0.1 pts |
| December 2025 | 0.0% | $4.50 | +3% | 5.3% | -0.1 pts |
| November 2025 | +0.8% | $4.78 | +8% | 5.3% | -0.2 pts |
| October 2025 | +0.1% | $4.67 | +3% | – | – |
| September 2025 | -0.7% | $4.68 | +3% | 5.4% | -0.2 pts |
| August 2025 | -1.5% | $4.49 | -1% | 5.4% | -0.2 pts |
| July 2025 | -1.4% | $4.49 | -4% | 5.3% | -0.2 pts |
| June 2025 | -2.4% | $4.62 | -4% | 5.3% | -0.1 pts |
| May 2025 | -0.8% | $4.75 | -8% | 5.2% | 0.0 pts |
| April 2025 | -0.5% | $4.82 | -9% | 5.2% | +0.1 pts |
| March 2025 | -0.8% | $4.67 | -6% | 5.2% | +0.2 pts |
| February 2025 | +1.2% | $4.67 | -2% | 5.3% | +0.4 pts |
| January 2025 | -0.3% | $4.43 | -4% | 5.3% | +0.4 pts |
| December 2024 | -0.4% | $4.35 | -8% | 5.4% | +0.4 pts |
| November 2024 | -1.3% | $4.43 | -13% | 5.5% | +0.5 pts |
| October 2024 | -1.3% | $4.52 | -21% | 5.5% | +0.6 pts |
| September 2024 | -0.2% | $4.55 | -21% | 5.6% | +0.8 pts |
| August 2024 | +1.4% | $4.54 | -13% | 5.6% | +0.9 pts |
| July 2024 | +0.6% | $4.67 | -6% | 5.5% | +0.8 pts |
| June 2024 | -0.2% | $4.81 | -2% | 5.4% | +0.8 pts |
| May 2024 | +0.2% | $5.17 | +7% | 5.2% | +0.7 pts |
| April 2024 | -0.2% | $5.32 | +9% | 5.1% | +0.6 pts |
| March 2024 | -0.1% | $4.96 | +2% | 5.0% | +0.5 pts |
| February 2024 | -3.4% | $4.74 | +1% | 4.9% | +0.4 pts |
| January 2024 | -0.9% | $4.60 | +2% | 4.9% | +0.4 pts |
| December 2023 | -2.5% | $4.74 | +4% | 5.0% | +0.6 pts |
| November 2023 | -0.8% | $5.09 | -4% | 5.0% | +0.7 pts |
| October 2023 | -1.7% | $5.72 | -5% | 4.9% | +0.7 pts |
| September 2023 | -1.9% | $5.76 | +5% | 4.8% | +0.7 pts |
How this is measured
Traffic: for every freeway sensor in Los Angeles, the average number of vehicles on a weekday in the month, compared with the same sensor in the same month a year earlier. Only sensors with data in both months count, so new or retired sensors don't look like more or less traffic. Gas: average price of regular gasoline in the Los Angeles metro area (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Unemployment: the Los Angeles metro area (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Economic data via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Road sensors: Caltrans PeMS.
See also: is Los Angeles traffic getting worse? and gas prices and driving nationwide.