Study Shows Average American Yearly Commute Savings in 2021
A study conducted by Today Testing found that the average American could have saved upwards of $2,398 in 2021 by working from home. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans found themselves skipping the twice-daily rush hour in favor of working from home. Along with saving money on fuel and other car-related expenses, Today Testing found that individuals working from home could have avoided 3,428.14 pounds in carbon dioxide (CO2) tailpipe emissions.
According to Today Testing, the study surveyed commuting data in nearly 100 US cities, collected from the US Census Bureau and AAA. First, it was found that the average American would likely work 242.8 days out of the year; that’s 5 days over 52 weeks minus an average of 17.2 vacation days. Data showed that the cost of owning and operating a vehicle in 2021 was approximately 62 cents per mile; that was for an average sedan’s gas, maintenance and other expenses. Residents of Atlanta, Georgia, benefited the most with an average savings of $3,987 from not commuting in 2021; approximately 5,700 pounds of CO2 emissions were also avoided per worker. Following close behind were Dallas and Houston, Texas, tying for second and third place with $3,800 saved and 5,433 pounds of CO2. The full rundown of cities can be found on the test’s website, here.