Characteristics of Daytime Urban Commuters for 20 U.S. Cities: Gender, Work, and Family

Lynda L. Laughlin, U.S. Census Bureau
Peter Mateyka, U.S. Census Bureau
Charlynn Burd, U.S. Census Bureau

In many cities, the population grows during the workday. Commuting into and out of a city allows workers to live in residential areas, which may better fit their housing needs and family situation. However, there may also be instances where commuting into or out of a city is less than desirable. This study investigates the social and economic characteristics of daytime urban commuters for 20 U.S. cities using restricted access microdata from the 5-year 2009-2013 American Community Survey (ACS). Findings highlight commuter differences by living arrangements, presence of children, class of work, mode and length of commute. The significance of gender is also considered.