"What stands out most is the pace of change. From 2011 to 2019, commutes rose by only two minutes over nearly a decade. But since 2021, they've jumped more than a minute in just two years-the equivalent of five years' growth into a fraction of the time. That acceleration demonstrates how closely commuting patterns align with workplace policies and how rapidly routines can shift when millions of people adjust their schedules simultaneously."
"In 2021, a substantial share of the workforce-approximately 18 percent, or more than 27 million people-worked from home. That cut average commute times to just 25.6 minutes, the shortest in more than a decade. But the trend didn't last. By 2022, the number of remote workers had dropped by 3 million, and the average commute time rose to 26.4 minutes. The decline continued into 2023, when only 13.8 percent of workers remained remote. Commute times crept higher again as more employees returned to traditional offices."
U.S. average one-way commute in 2023 was 26.8 minutes, slightly longer than 2022 but shorter than 2019's 27.6 minutes. Remote work peaked in 2021 at about 18 percent (over 27 million people), reducing average commutes to 25.6 minutes, the shortest in more than a decade. Remote workers fell by 3 million in 2022 and to 13.8 percent in 2023, causing commute times to creep upward. From 2011 to 2019 commutes rose only two minutes, while since 2021 they increased more than a minute in two years, reflecting rapid shifts as workers return to offices. Commute lengths vary widely by city.
Read at Mental Floss
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