State: Demographics Of Biking & Walking

The Benchmarking Report began looking at over- or under-representation of people of color and low-income commuters among those who walk to work or take transit to work in 2016.

The Benchmarking Report has not typically reported demographics on bicycling to work because demographic data on who rides a bicycle to work is not available in tabular data at the state level. The Census Bureau produced some national demographics data about who bikes to work in 2014. ²³ For national demographic data, please see Section 1.2 Nation: Demographics of Active Transportation.

Data on this page:

• Low Income Commuters & Walking to Work
• Low Income Commuters & Taking Transit to Work
• Commuters of Color & Walking to Work
• Commuters of Color & Taking Transit to Work
• Bike Commuting by Women
• Walk Commuting by Women

LOW INCOME COMMUTERS & WALKING TO WORK

In every state, people who walk are more likely to have incomes  of 150% of the federal poverty level or less than the general population. This highlights the important role that active transportation modes, and transportation options that do not require a personal motor vehicle, play in allowing  lower income people access to jobs. The Census Bureau does not provide a tabular estimate for the income levels of people who bike to work.

Footnote ²⁴

LOW INCOME COMMUTERS & TAKING TRANSIT TO WORK

As with walking to work, in every state, people who take transit to work are more likely to have incomes of 150% of the federal poverty level or less than the general population of workers. However, unlike walking to work there appears to be a correlation between low rates of taking transit to work and over-representation – with states where few people take transit to work being more likely to have an over-representation of lower income workers taking transit. Idaho is a notable exception.

Footnote ²⁵

COMMUTERS OF COLOR & WALKING TO WORK

In all but a handful of states people of color are over-represented among people who commute to work by walking. In most states where people of color are under-represented among people who walk to work those state have some of the largest percentage of workers of color.

Footnote ²⁶

COMMUTERS OF COLOR & TAKING TRANSIT TO WORK

In all but a handful of states people of color are over- represented among people who take transit to work by walking. Unlike walking to work, having a large percentage of commuters of color does not appear as associated with less over-representation of people of color among people who take transit to work.

Footnote ²⁷

BIKE COMMUTING BY WOMEN

In every state other than Mississippi, women are under-represented among people who bike to work by at least 10 percentage points. This widespread under-representation is not seen in walking to work, where there are seven states where women make up a majority of the people who walk to work.

WALK COMMUTING BY WOMEN

Footnote ²⁸