Commuting (Journey to Work)

The concept of commuter-adjusted, also called daytime population, refers to the number of people who are present in an area during normal business hours, including workers. This is in contrast to the resident population or people who reside in a given area and are typically present during the evening and nighttime hours. The ACS asks respondents about their place of work location.

This information, coupled with residence location, is used to calculate daytime population estimates.

Two methods for calculating commuter-adjusted population estimates:

• Method 1: Total resident population + (total workers working in area - workers who lived and worked in same area) - (total workers living in area - workers who lived and worked in same area) OR;
• Method 2: Total resident population + Total workers working in area - Total workers living in area.
  

Data Tables used to calculate commuter-adjusted population.

The ACS estimates used for calculating commuter-adjusted daytime population are available from the American FactFinder. The following detailed tables include the components required to do the calculations:

• Total resident population:
  • B01003 Total Population
• Total workers living in area and Workers who lived and worked in same area:
  • B08007 Sex of Workers by Place of Work--State and County Level (“Total:” line and “Worked in county of residence” line);
  • B08008 Sex of Workers by Place of Work--Place Level (“Total:” line and “Worked in place of residence” line);
  • B08009 Sex of Workers by Place of Work--Minor Civil Division Level (“Total:” line and “Worked in MCD of residence” line)
• Total workers working in area:
  • B08604 Total Workers for Workplace Geography
    

B08604 is only available for data years 2011 and after. For previous years, B08601 Means of Transportation to Work for Workplace Geography or the collapsed version C08601 can be used. Tables are subjected to reliability and disclosure avoidance standards and may not be published for some areas.

The tables for workplace geography are only available for the following geographic summary levels: States; Counties; Places; County Subdivisions in selected states (CT, ME, MA, MI, MN, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT, WI); Combined Statistical Areas; Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and their associated Metropolitan Divisions and Principal Cities; Combined New England City and Town Areas; New England City and Town Areas, and their associated Divisions and Principal Cities.

Starting with the 2006-2010 5-year ACS, tables B08601 through B08604 are also available for County within Place and, for selected states, Place/Remainder. Estimates for people working in an area for additional summary levels, including Census Tracts, will be available in the Census Transportation Planning Products (CTPP).

Commuter-Adjusted Population Estimates can be calculated for certain segments of the population. As long as the total population, workers working in the area, and workers living in the area for the group is known, Method 2 can be used to calculate a commuter-adjusted population estimates.

ACS tables used to calculate Commuter-Adjusted Population Estimates by Selected Characteristics are noted here.

The Census 2000 tables that include the components required to calculate daytime population are available on American Factfinder and are listed below.

• Total resident population:
  • Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF3), Table P3. Note that this is based on the 100-percent population count and may differ from the total population in Table P1, which is based on sample data.
• Total workers living in area:
  • Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF3), Table P30. The "Total" line gives the number of resident workers, or workers living in the area.
• Total workers working in area:
  • Census Transportation Planning Package 2000, Part 2 -Data by place of work. The "Total" from any table with a universe of "All workers" will give the total working in the area. See CTPP 2000 to download data for a particular summary level and state from Part 2.