More and More Americans Working From Home

In a pattern evident in communities all over the country, U.S. Census data shows more Americans are working from home. Researchers from the Brookings Institution are hoping that planners have noticed the trend.

1 minute read

September 29, 2015, 11:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


workspace

Mike McCune (mccune 934) / Flickr

"Over time, though, the American commute is shifting in increasingly novel ways, especially at the metropolitan level. Going back to 2000, many workers are opting out of traditional modes of transport like cars and switching to other modes," report Joseph Kane and Adie Tomer.

The most compelling evidence of the evolution of commute patterns, according to Kane and Tomer, is the "continued surge in remote working."

"From 2000 to 2014, nearly 2.4 million more people—or 13 percent of all new commuters—are working at home to bring their national total to 6.5 million. Moreover, the share of workers at home has risen from 3.2 percent to 4.5 percent, surpassing the rate of growth in all other commuting categories and building off a series of emerging work patterns in the public and private sector."

The post goes on to provide examples of some of the other ways commuting has changed in recent years, before concluding with an appeal to transportation and land use planners to take the shift into account.

Monday, September 28, 2015 in Brookings Institution

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

November 11, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A road in north eastern Nebraska with power lines on either side, and grassy fields.

Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity

Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.

November 6, 2026 - Grist

People walking in downtown St. Louis, walking past shops.

Move over, LA: St. Louis gears up for Olympics, invests millions in downtown redevelopment

The Missouri city will host the 2028 Olympic soccer group stage and knockout matches.

November 1, 2026 - Smart Cities Dive

Construction in Dallas. An aerial shot of a wooden frame of an apartment building.

Dallas releases zoning code overhaul to officials

The drafted overhaul is over 400 pages long.

November 11 - Dallas Morning News

Canal street, where pedestrians are packed shoulder to shoulder.

NYC renovations for dangerous, ‘mercilessly crammed’ street delayed until 2027

Construction was supposed to begin this fall.

November 11 - Gothamist

A rendering of Midway Rising that shows people mingling in a green space between apartment buildings.

San Diego’s Midway Rising project gets greenlight from city council

The project looks to become the largest affordable housing development in California's history.

November 11 - KPBS

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.