Which US cities have the most housing near transit?

A new interactive tool from the Urban Institute explores investment in transit-oriented development across the country. Using the data, UI researcher Yonah Freemark analyzes which U.S. cities have developed the most effective TOD policies that put residents near buses and trains.

According to Freemark, "Residents of the New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, DC, regions have more than four times the amount of bus and rail service per capita as residents in Detroit, Indianapolis, and Memphis." Consequently, residents of these cities use transit seven times as frequently as Americans in other regions.

"We find that most of the nation’s large urban areas provide bus or train service within walking distance of most housing units. Among these regions, Los Angeles and San Francisco perform best, each providing transit service within a half mile of at least 90 percent of homes, while Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston provide service within a half mile to fewer than half of all homes." However, the frequency and reliability of service makes a difference. "From this perspective, New York and San Francisco perform best, with at least 40 percent of housing units located near services that arrive at least every 15 minutes between noon and 1 p.m., indicative of midday service."

According to Freemark, "among the 26 urban areas with a substantial rail system, most had less than 20 percent of their regional housing growth in areas served by rail between 1980 and 2022, though New York, San Francisco, and San José added at least 30 percent of regional growth near rail during this period."