Commute Patterns

Commute Patterns analysis studies the regular travel behavior of workers between their residences and workplaces, examining where commuters live relative to where they work, what transportation modes they use, how far and how long they travel, and when they depart. Understanding commute patterns is fundamental to transportation planning, labor market analysis, and regional economic development, as the journey to work is the most predictable and studied component of daily travel. The Census Bureau's Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) Origin-Destination Employment Statistics (LODES) dataset provides detailed commute flow data between census blocks for the entire U.S. workforce. The American Community Survey collects mode share, travel time, and departure time data at the tract and block groupBlock GroupA Block Group is a census geographic unit that is the smallest area for which the Census Bureau publishes sample (Ame... level. Increasingly, mobile phone location data and GPSGPSThe Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system operated by the U.S. Space Force that prov... traces provide real-time commute flow information with higher temporal resolutionTemporal ResolutionTemporal resolution is the revisit frequency of a satellite sensor over the same location on Earth, determining how o... than survey-based sources. Applications include transit route planning that aligns service with dominant commute corridors, highway capacity planning that targets investments where demand is greatest, employer site selectionSite SelectionSite selection is the analytical process of evaluating and choosing optimal physical locations for new stores, facili... that considers workforce accessibility, and housing policy that addresses jobs-housing balance. Commute pattern analysis reveals regional economic connections, identifies emerging employment centers, and quantifies the impacts of remote work on transportation demand and urban development patterns.