You Won’t Believe How Far Some Lawrence Countians Drive to Work…

We recently asked y’all: Do you work inside Lawrence County? Or do you commute outside the county—and if so, how far’s the drive?

Over 50 LCtoday followers chimed in to share their commute stories, and the responses gave us a solid look at the work-life reality for folks all across our county. From five-minute trips to two-hour treks, here’s what we found out:

📊 The Commute Breakdown

After sorting through the responses, we found a wide range of commute times. Here's how it all shook out:

• 29.8% of respondents have a short drive of 0–10 minutes.
  That includes folks like Christie Fletcher, Heather Hill, and Sherry Melson, who can practically roll out of bed and be at work in minutes.

• 24.6% make a 11–30 minute trip each way.
  Folks like Courtney Logan, Katherine Ledlow, and Julie Stricklin fall into this group—driving to nearby towns but not too far from home.

• 40.4% spend 31–60 minutes on the road.
  The biggest group by far includes folks like Brandy Borden, Crystal Spigle, Ashley Mennes, and Maggie Hyland, heading to places like Florence, Huntsville, Madison, and Athens.

• 5.3% make over an hour-long commute.
  Hats off to folks like David Campbell, Betty Buerger, and Patrick Pierce, who put serious mileage on their vehicles every week just to get to work.

🕒 Average Commute Time

Across the board, the average commute time came out to 31.2 minutes. That’s just long enough for a podcast episode, a morning devotion, or a couple of backroads daydreams.

🏠 Who’s Working from Home?

About 6% of y’all are working from home or have a hybrid setup.
John Graham, for example, works from his home studio in LC but also travels far and wide. Twila Hood and a few others mentioned working for companies based outside the county while staying rooted right here at home.

Working from home might still be a small slice of the pie, but it’s growing—and for some, it’s the sweet spot between making a living and staying close to family.

🚗 Commute Extremes

• Longest Commute:
  Betty Buerger takes the title with a whopping 2-hour drive to Nashville. That’s dedication we gotta respect.

• Shortest Real Commute:
  Sherry Melson keeps it tight with just a 5-minute drive. That’s probably shorter than the line at Jack’s some mornings!

💬 What Folks Had to Say

Plenty of people shared thoughts on the pros and cons of driving for work. Sharon Pearson said it best:

"You have to do pros and cons for working close to home or driving."

Judy Louallen shared that she drove a school bus right here in LC for 27 years and loved every minute of it. Dewayne Bryant chimed in to thank her for making a difference. That’s the kind of community we’re proud to see.

🛣️ What It All Means

This little survey shows us something big:
While plenty of folks are able to work in or near Lawrence County, over 70% are spending 11 minutes or more on the road each day, with a big portion driving 30–60 minutes one way. That’s hours out of the week—gone to traffic and gas.

As more people drive out to bigger cities for opportunity, it’s a reminder that creating good jobs right here at home would make a huge difference for families, wallets, and well-being.

🗣️ Now It’s Your Turn

Would you trade a higher paycheck for a job closer to home?
Do you enjoy the drive time, or would you rather be home for dinner faster?

Let us know in the comments—and tag someone who’s got the wildest commute you’ve ever heard of!