While many of the country’s best-loved ferry routes are popular tourist attractions, offering glimpses of landmarks like Golden Gate Bridge or Statue of Liberty, the majority of U.S. ferry ridership is constituted by Americans commuting to work, not leisure travel.
Ferries serve a wide range of regions, functioning both as public transit options in some of the nation’s most traffic-heavy urban areas and as vital links for island communities in remote coastal zones. While fewer than 1% of workers commute by ferry nationwide, more than 20% of employed adults take the ferry to work in some cities.
The cities most reliant on ferry travel represent a distinctive map of coastal enclaves and island towns located within reach of major job centers. On Daufuskie Island in South Carolina, 58.5% of commuters take the ferry to work, traveling to Hilton Head island or Savannah, Georgia.
In Navesink, New Jersey, 20.2% of residents take the ferry, many crossing from the Atlantic Highlands into New York City, enjoying direct access to Manhattan and close-up views of New York Harbor along the way. Workers in Bainbridge Island in Washington regularly take the ferry across the Puget Sound into Seattle, enjoying a faster commute than most motorists in the metro area. A closer look at the data reveals the cities where the most people take the ferry to work.
To determine the cities where the most people commute by ferry, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on commuting characteristics from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey. Cities, towns, boroughs, villages, and census-designated places were ranked based on the percentage of workers 16 years and over who commute by ferry. Data on the percentage of commuters who drive to work also came from the ACS.
25. Edgewater, NJ
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 6.0%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 39.3%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 66.7%
- Median household income: $137,847
- Median home value: $723,400
- Total population: 14,544
24. Roslyn, NY
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 6.1%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 60.8%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 77.3%
- Median household income: $123,725
- Median home value: $623,800
- Total population: 2,955
23. Tiburon, CA
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 6.6%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 50.5%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 50.9%
- Median household income: $212,794
- Median home value: $2,000,000
- Total population: 9,035
22. Kentfield, CA
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 6.7%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 46.4%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 52.4%
- Median household income: $231,875
- Median home value: $2,000,000
- Total population: 7,128
21. Freeland, WA
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 7.2%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 62.5%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 50.7%
- Median household income: $90,945
- Median home value: $493,400
- Total population: 1,966
20. Little Silver, NJ
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 7.3%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 60.6%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 63.0%
- Median household income: $220,746
- Median home value: $870,700
- Total population: 6,096
19. Highlands, NJ
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 7.6%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 60.7%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 72.7%
- Median household income: $90,082
- Median home value: $394,800
- Total population: 4,575
18. Port Monmouth, NJ
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 7.6%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 68.6%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 82.4%
- Median household income: $106,677
- Median home value: $423,600
- Total population: 3,285
17. Ross, CA
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 7.6%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 48.9%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 56.7%
- Median household income: N/A
- Median home value: $2,000,000
- Total population: 2,626
16. Sea Bright, NJ
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 8.0%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 62.2%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 77.2%
- Median household income: $127,738
- Median home value: $815,400
- Total population: 1,657
15. Shelter Island, NY
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 8.5%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 50.8%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 36.7%
- Median household income: $129,410
- Median home value: $1,019,000
- Total population: 2,281
14. Manchester, WA
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 8.5%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 78.4%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 86.7%
- Median household income: $108,242
- Median home value: $464,500
- Total population: 6,018
13. Start, LA
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 8.9%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 84.2%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 93.1%
- Median household income: $67,673
- Median home value: $134,600
- Total population: 941
12. Kingston, WA
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 10.4%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 72.2%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 81.8%
- Median household income: $99,345
- Median home value: $448,600
- Total population: 2,585
11. Hansville, WA
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 11.7%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 74.5%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 87.3%
- Median household income: $85,800
- Median home value: $483,000
- Total population: 3,533
10. Fair Haven, NJ
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 12.6%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 57.4%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 71.2%
- Median household income: $237,132
- Median home value: $943,300
- Total population: 6,182
9. St. James, NC
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 13.1%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 50.8%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 59.7%
- Median household income: $113,670
- Median home value: $599,300
- Total population: 6,901
8. Atlantic Highlands, NJ
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 13.2%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 56.6%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 70.9%
- Median household income: $125,438
- Median home value: $615,300
- Total population: 4,409
7. Rumson, NJ
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 13.3%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 48.7%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 62.5%
- Median household income: N/A
- Median home value: $1,609,400
- Total population: 7,265
6. Barre, MA
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 15.1%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 71.6%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 86.8%
- Median household income: $55,625
- Median home value: $313,100
- Total population: 550
5. Bainbridge Island, WA
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 16.9%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 41.6%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 38.9%
- Median household income: $159,882
- Median home value: $1,076,200
- Total population: 24,607
4. Navesink, NJ
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 20.2%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 73.2%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 86.3%
- Median household income: $145,708
- Median home value: $695,300
- Total population: 1,904
3. Kahite, TN
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 21.1%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 69.9%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 91.0%
- Median household income: $115,078
- Median home value: $536,300
- Total population: 697
2. St. Ignace, MI
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 22.7%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 67.1%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 52.4%
- Median household income: $60,735
- Median home value: $127,800
- Total population: 2,409
1. Daufuskie Island, SC
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via ferry: 58.5%
- Workers 16 years and over commuting via car: 16.2%
- Workers commuting outside city of residence: 68.5%
- Median household income: $153,821
- Median home value: N/A
- Total population: 636
Top Gaining Stocks
Top Losing Stocks