When you think Washington, D.C., you think about government. You might also think about traffic. Washington, D.C. is consistently ranked as one of the worst cities for commuting traffic in the United States. Heading into the capital are thousands and thousands of government employees. Where do they live? And how far outside of the city do they reside?
We looked at the distribution of government employment in the D.C. area and compared that to where the government employees live. There are three maps below that display these demographics. The first is a dot distribution of where the government offices are located, with each dot representing 50 employees. The second map is a thematic shading that shows the percentage of government jobs in any given block group. The third map displays a thematic shading of the percentage of the labor force who work in government, showing where these government employees live.
What emerges is a major difference in where the jobs are, and where people actually live. This goes a long way towards explaining why the commuter traffic is so horrible. Of course, the government offices are fairly concentrated. Offices are downtown, along the 495 beltway and the various military bases. But the employees live all over the entire D.C. metro area. While many live near the city, most are choosing to live in the suburbs. Those living only 20 miles from the center of D.C. can spend up to an hour in traffic, each way. But for most people, that long commute is worth it for homes in neighborhoods with less crime, better schools and more reasonable home prices.
Recent Comments