UNDERSTANDING COMMUTING PATTERNS
A commute is something that affects both workers and businesses alike. People consider commutes when they determine where to live, where to work, and how they choose to travel. Similarly, commuting patterns, or commuting flows, are a critical piece of intelligence that The Right Place often uses often to inform our economic development work. Commuting flows help us better understand the interconnectedness between communities in the region.
• 91% of Kent County workers drove alone to and from work, which is about 5% lower than the national average. • Just over 2% of workers commuted to work via public transportation, less than ½ the percentage for the national average, which sits at 5% • For those who drove to work, nearly 78% have a commute less than 30 minutes, while nationally, only 69% of people reported the same With this information in mind we can now take a closer look at where workers are driving from. This gives us a greater understanding of how individual commuting patterns affect the Greater Grand Rapids region as a whole.
Our research and data team rely on insights from several resources produced by the U.S. Government to analyze the state of commuting in our region. These resources are all part of the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics data products from the U.S. Census Bureau. So how do people employed in Kent County get to work? Here’s what we learned from the most recent data: • 90% of workers 16+ in Kent County commute by car, truck or van, which is slightly higher than the national and Midwest average for workers. KENT COUNTY WORKER COMMUTE ANALYSIS
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DATACONOMY: COMMUTING PATTERNS
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