High housing costs and return-to-office policies are forcing more American workers to live farther from work, pushing the average daily commute time to nearly an hour.
The average American commute is getting longer, hitting an average of 27.2 minutes one way in 2024 — nearly the same as in 2019, when the average was 27.6 minutes.
According to an Independent article by Katie Hawkinson, one major driver of increased congestion is return-to-office mandates, which are forcing more people to get on the road again. The policy is unpopular with workers — an August 2025 survey found that 55% of full-time employees would take a pay cut in exchange for permanent hybrid or remote work.
High housing costs also play a role as commuters search for affordable housing that is often far from their jobs. "A study published last year in the Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics found that, compared to renters, homeowners’ commutes are about 6.9 percent longer."
Read the full story: Affordable housing is to blame for your long and costly commute
How to Reduce Excess Vehicle Travel
Some experts claim that remote work is the most effective way to reduce vehicle travel, but my research indicates that improving and encouraging walking, bicycling, and public transit can provide larger impacts and benefits.
Congestion Growing in Sunbelt Cities
Cities with rapidly growing populations and inadequate public transit systems are seeing more gridlock despite changes in commuting patterns and the rise of remote work.
How Remote Work Could Reshape American Cities
If projections about remote work hold true, the resulting migration could shift economic centers, disperse housing market pressures, and transform the politics of small communities.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago Avenue bridge construction delays enrages city leaders
The bridge has been closed since 2025. The city originally aimed to re-open it in December, and now expects to finish construction in 2027.
NYC bus network redesign speeds up Queens buses
Rush routes have seen a 4.6% speed increase after the redesign.
California High-Speed Rail Authority picks trainset manufacturer
The California High-Speed Rail Authority aims to start servicing passengers by 2033.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority