America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers

Spatial Mismatch: When Workers Can’t Get to Jobs in the Suburbs

When jobs are far from where the people who need them live, unemployment rates climb.

Job sprawl to the suburbs has created a commuting challenge that hits low-income residents the hardest. Many may not be able to afford a car and if access to public transportation is limited, those living in cities cannot take advantage of job opportunities in suburbs miles away.

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Economists call the gap between where the jobs are and where people live “spatial mismatch,” which can cause high unemployment and longer spells of joblessness for low-income populations. Continue Reading...

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America Counts tells the stories behind the numbers in a new inviting way. It features stories on various topics such as families, housing, employment, business, education, the economy, emergency preparedness, and population. Contact the Public Information Office for media inquiries or interviews.