Traffic Predict
San Diego Traffic and the Economy
In August 2026, weekday freeway traffic in San Diego was 1.4% lower than a year earlier, with gas at $5.68 a gallon (+24% on the year).
Do gas prices and jobs move traffic here?
- Gas prices: a 10% rise in gas prices went with 0.50% more traffic than a year earlier, on average (a moderate link: correlation 0.34).
- Unemployment: a 1-point rise in unemployment went with 1.1% less traffic than a year earlier, on average (a strong link: correlation -0.55).
Over 84 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 | -1.4% | $5.68 | +24% | – | – |
| July 2026 | -0.2% | $5.51 | +21% | 4.4% | -0.3 pts |
| June 2026 | -0.9% | $5.70 | +22% | 4.4% | -0.2 pts |
| May 2026 | -0.6% | $6.12 | +29% | 4.4% | -0.1 pts |
| April 2026 | -0.1% | $5.92 | +23% | 4.5% | 0.0 pts |
| March 2026 | +1.5% | $5.51 | +18% | 4.6% | +0.2 pts |
| February 2026 | +0.4% | $4.57 | -2% | 4.6% | +0.2 pts |
| January 2026 | +0.7% | $4.42 | -1% | 4.7% | +0.3 pts |
| December 2025 | -0.6% | $4.55 | +2% | 4.8% | +0.4 pts |
| November 2025 | +1.0% | $4.84 | +7% | 4.8% | +0.4 pts |
| October 2025 | +0.6% | $4.73 | +3% | – | – |
| September 2025 | +0.3% | $4.73 | +2% | 4.8% | +0.4 pts |
| August 2025 | +0.6% | $4.57 | -2% | 4.7% | +0.3 pts |
| July 2025 | +0.8% | $4.56 | -4% | 4.7% | +0.4 pts |
| June 2025 | -0.2% | $4.66 | -4% | 4.6% | +0.4 pts |
| May 2025 | +0.7% | $4.75 | -9% | 4.5% | +0.3 pts |
| April 2025 | +1.5% | $4.80 | -10% | 4.5% | +0.3 pts |
| March 2025 | -1.1% | $4.68 | -6% | 4.4% | +0.3 pts |
| February 2025 | +3.3% | $4.68 | -2% | 4.4% | +0.3 pts |
| January 2025 | +2.1% | $4.48 | -3% | 4.4% | +0.3 pts |
| December 2024 | +0.1% | $4.45 | -8% | 4.4% | +0.3 pts |
| November 2024 | +1.6% | $4.51 | -13% | 4.4% | +0.3 pts |
| October 2024 | +1.3% | $4.61 | -20% | 4.4% | +0.4 pts |
| September 2024 | +0.4% | $4.64 | -19% | 4.4% | +0.5 pts |
| August 2024 | +1.0% | $4.66 | -11% | 4.4% | +0.6 pts |
| July 2024 | -0.2% | $4.76 | -3% | 4.3% | +0.6 pts |
| June 2024 | -0.5% | $4.86 | 0% | 4.2% | +0.6 pts |
| May 2024 | +0.7% | $5.20 | +8% | 4.2% | +0.7 pts |
| April 2024 | -0.7% | $5.31 | +9% | 4.2% | +0.7 pts |
| March 2024 | +2.0% | $4.95 | +2% | 4.1% | +0.6 pts |
| February 2024 | -2.8% | $4.76 | +1% | 4.1% | +0.7 pts |
| January 2024 | -0.1% | $4.64 | +3% | 4.1% | +0.7 pts |
| December 2023 | -0.5% | $4.82 | +6% | 4.1% | +0.8 pts |
| November 2023 | +1.1% | $5.16 | -3% | 4.1% | +0.8 pts |
| October 2023 | +0.3% | $5.78 | -4% | 4.0% | +0.8 pts |
| September 2023 | +0.5% | $5.72 | +5% | 3.9% | +0.8 pts |
How this is measured
Traffic: for every freeway sensor in San Diego, 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 San Diego metro area (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Unemployment: the San Diego metro area (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Economic data via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Road sensors: Caltrans PeMS.
See also: is San Diego traffic getting worse? and gas prices and driving nationwide.