According to recent research, remote work decreases commute time in Mesa and Phoenix.
After the pandemic, most workers started to change their routine to work from home. And most of them began to appreciate a more flexible work schedule. Among the main reasons, it’s the opportunity of reducing commute time.
A new study by CommercialCafe reported shorter drive times in the U.S. as remote work increases. According to the latest U.S. Census data, remote workers increased from 8.9 million in 2019 to 27.6 million in 2021.
The study’s findings highlight how remote work decreases commute time. Across the U.S., driving time decreased from 27.6 minutes to 25.6 minutes – around 4 minutes per round trip daily or 17 hours a year.
Further, the city benefitting more from remote work is Mesa, ranking number eight for saved commute time. If Mesa commuters saved nearly 27 hours per year (2019-2021), in Phoenix (16 positions), people saved around 22 hours annually. The number of remote workers in both cities increased during the pandemic. For example, Phoenix reached over 177,000 (2021) remote workers, considering that in 2019 they were 53,390. And Mesa increased from 20,000 (2019) to 50,000 (2021).
Among the U.S. cities with the most decreased commute time, the study found:
- San Jose
- Oakland
- San Francisco
- Long Beach
- Los Angeles
- Baltimore
- Washington, DC
Among different benefits, remote work decrease commute time. And more people opt for more flexible schedules and hybrid arrangements.
