Commuting in the United States: 2022

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Report Number: ACSBR-018

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic substantially changed U.S. commuting behaviors between 2019 and 2021, especially with respect to home-based work. Employers, workers, families, governments, and service providers continued to adjust to the constraints of the pandemic in 2022. For example, many employers encouraged workers to return to on-site work while testing flexible work arrangements, traditional employment centers hosted fewer on-site workers, and many states and municipalities evaluated the role public transportation should play given reduced and uncertain ridership. This brief describes how commuting behaviors have developed since the pandemic’s initial disruption.

Page Last Revised - July 11, 2025