Home Relocation and the Journey to Work

11 Pages Posted: 9 Jan 2011 Last revised: 21 Jan 2011

See all articles by Nebiyou Tilahun

Nebiyou Tilahun

affiliation not provided to SSRN

David Matthew Levinson

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: 2008

Abstract

Relocation decisions are complex. Each household has a bundle of attributes that make a location attractive to it, including the ability to access different activity locations easily, neighborhood quality, house amenities etc. Relocating households have an opportunity to find housing closer to their work. Using data collected in the Twin Cities area, we investigate how distance to home and travel time to home change among individuals who have changed their residence since they started their current job. Comparing the home-to-work distance after the move to the previous-home-to-work distance, we find that the average home to work distance is reduced as a result of the move. We also find that the reduction depend on the previous home to work distance as well as the previous homes’ proximity to downtown Minneapolis. The findings show that households that are either very close to their work, or very close to downtown, or both did not significantly increase or decrease their commute after relocation. This suggests that access to work as well as access to the opportunities that proximity to downtown offers (to jobs, urban spaces, etc.) are important in the decision making process.

Keywords: household relocation, travel, commute, employment, transportation

JEL Classification: P46, R40

Suggested Citation

Tilahun, Nebiyou and Levinson, David Matthew, Home Relocation and the Journey to Work (2008). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1736153 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1736153

Nebiyou Tilahun

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

David Matthew Levinson (Contact Author)

affiliation not provided to SSRN

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