Local residents often move to remote suburbs for affordable homes… But as Jessica Forres reports the cost of commuting to work may offset those savings...



Peter Haas...with the Center for Neighborhood and Technology... demonstrates how to use an online calculator that lets local residents compare their transportation and housing costs when planning where to live. He computes the cost of living in DC's Takoma Park and Frederick, Maryland.

YOU CAN SEE DOWN HERE, WHERE WE SHOW YOU THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TRANSIT CONNECTIVITY OUT THERE. ZERO BUSES OR TRAINS IN WALKING DISTANCE

The online calculator is part of a report released by Haas's organization, the Urban Land Institute and the Center for Housing Policy. It measures the combined housing and transportation costs for 22 areas within the Washington region. Jeffrey Lubell is with the Center for Housing Policy.

THE FURTHER YOU MOVE FROM YOUR PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, THE HOUSING COST SAVINGS ARE LESS THAN THE TRANSPORTATION COST INCREASES IN OTHER WORDS, YOUR TRANSPORTATION COSTS KEEP GOING UP, YOUR HOUSING COST GO DOWN, BUT AT SOME POINT YOUR NOT COMING OUT AHEAD BECAUSE YOUR SPENDING MORE ON TRANSPORTATION THAN YOUR SAVING ON HOUSING.

The report says region-wide households spend an average of 23-thousand on housing and 13-thousand on transportation annually…
Jessica Forres WAMU 885 news


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Those who live in outer Washington suburbs pay more on average for housing and transportation than those in inner suburbs.

Jessica Forres has the story...

The median household income is 78-thousand dollars in the D-C region. Though that number seems high, so is the cost of renting or owning a home. Jeffrey Lubell is with the Center for Housing Policy.

He says residents who move to remote suburbs for affordable homes often save less if they live 15 miles or more away from their jobs. That's because of transporation costs.

THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT'S ONLY FACED BY THE POOR ALTHOUGH THEY DO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS FACED PEOPLE AT THE MEDIAN INCOME LEVEL, 78-THOUSAND DOLLARS, THIS IS A PROBLEM WE ALL FACE.

A report released by Lubell's group, the Urban Land Istitute and the Center for Neighborhood Technology, measures the combined housing and transportation costs for 22 areas in the region. Virginia's outer suburbs such as Clark and Fauquier Counties are in the study.

THE HOUSEHOLDS SPEND ON AVERAGE ABOUT 19-THOUSAND 778 DOLLARS PER YEAR ON HOUSING COSTS. THAT'S ABOUT THE SAME AS THEY SPEND IN CENTRAL JURISDICTIONS LIKE WASHINGTON, DC BUT THEY SPEND MORE THAN 6-THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE ON THEIR TRANSPORATION COSTS.

Peter Haas with the Center for Neighborhood and Technology…says local residents can now estimate their transportation costs when planning where to live. His group created an online calculator.

YOU CAN DECIDE WELL THE AMOUNT OF MONEY I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND ON TRANSPORTATION. IS IT WORTH OR NOT WORTH IT TO ME

The report says about 60 percent of households have either high housing or transportation costs, or both.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News