Jeff Khau examines the rise in the teleworking population and what this demographic shift means for cities.
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.
FULL STORY: The Rise of Telework and What it Means

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

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

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie