The 50-Foot Commute Takes Off Across America

Jeff Khau examines the rise in the teleworking population and what this demographic shift means for cities.

1 minute read

September 20, 2012, 5:00 AM PDT

By Emily Williams


Around the world, teleworking, or telecommuting, is seeing an increase in popularity as more people choose to work from home. European and American policy has followed suit, crafting regulations to protect teleworkers' rights and encourage more "work-at-home" employees.

Khau reports that statistics from the American Community Survey have confirmed an increase of the teleworking population in the US, stating that it "grew 61% between 2005 and 2009." According to the study, the greatest increase was among federal government staff, followed by municipal state workers.

These findings could be highly influential for agencies and businesses looking to cut administrative costs, argues Khau. There are a few kinks to work out in the research, however, such as distinguishing part-time and full-time hours and the relationship between teleworking and employee productivity levels.

With a growing population punching in on their laptops, shifts in urban development catering to this demographic are beginning to take place in the form of shared office spaces like BLANKSPACES and Liquidspace. These new services encourage a social atmosphere for teleworkers so that those who work remotely are still very much connected to their community.

Monday, September 17, 2012 in New Geography

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of Shirley Chisholm Village four-story housing development with person biking in front.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning

SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

June 8, 2025 - Fast Company

Yellow single-seat Japanese electric vehicle drivign down road.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs

The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

June 6, 2025 - PC Magazine

White Waymo autonomous car driving fast down city street with blurred background at night.

Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars

Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.

30 minutes ago - Smart Cities Dive

Two small wooden one-story homes in Florida with floodwaters at their doors.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?

With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

2 hours ago - Governing

People riding bicycles on separated bike trail.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike

For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.

4 hours ago - UNM News