Working Families Pushed Out Of Town, Into Debt

In past years, working families relied on inexpensive gasoline and their own time to compensate for not being able to afford homes closer to town. Commuters accepted a long drive — and less time for exercise, finger painting with their kids, or cooking and eating dinner as a family—because it meant they could afford a bigger house, where each kid could have a bedroom. Fast-rising transportation costs are now making the long distance drive no tradeoff at all.