The percentage of Americans working primarily from home tripled to over 27 million people during the pandemic. Will the popularity of remote work last?
As questions about the ‘return to the office’ linger, new data from the Census Bureau reveal that the number of people primarily working from home tripled between 2019 and 2021, with a record-high 17.9 percent of Americans working mostly from home.
“Nearly half (48.3%) of workers in the District of Columbia worked from home, the highest percentage of home-based workers among states and state equivalents in 2021.” Other states with high work-from-home rates are Washington, Maryland, Colorado, and Massachusetts, where close to a quarter of workers now work mostly remotely. Correspondingly, commutes have dropped to an average of 25.6 minutes one-way in 2021, two minutes shorter than the average 2019 commute.
Even as COVID-19 fears subside, remote work remains popular with employees and many employers who see advantages in a reduced need for office space and more flexibility in hiring. As technology makes it possible for more industries to shift to remote or hybrid work, the transportation networks, ancillary service industries, and other systems designed around the traditional 9-to-5 commute cycle will have to adapt to the new realities of the post-pandemic city.
FULL STORY: The Number of People Primarily Working From Home Tripled Between 2019 and 2021
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Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
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700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says
Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.
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