Revealed: Chicago Is the Fourth-Most Commuter-Friendly City in the US, Where Workers Can Save Serious Sums

• A new study has identified the cities with the best suburbs for commuters, and it’s good news for South Carolina and Illinois
• The research considered factors such as house prices within metropolitan statistical areas (MSA), commuting time and public transport options
• Workers in New York, Illinois and Wisconsin may benefit from relocating to the suburbs, cost data reveals

A new ranking of MSAs has identified the cities with the most commuter-friendly suburbs, as over 100 US cities are ranked.

The study, conducted by JeffBet, calculated the median house price of a property in each MSA, comparing this with the cost of a property within a two-mile radius of each city center to find the cheapest suburbs.

This data was combined with the average time taken to travel to work across the MSA, the number of people using public transport, and the average rent costs across the MSA compared with the city center costs, to produce a ranking of the best suburbs.

South Carolina takes the top spot, as Charleston has the best suburbs in the US. With suburban house prices costing 64% less than city center properties, at $317,000 compared to $891,450, workers in Charleston can make the biggest savings by moving outside of the city.

In second place is Greenville, South Carolina, where property prices are 55% lower in the suburbs than in the center of the MSA, and the average commute time is just 26 minutes, making a relocation to the suburbs more enticing.

New York City, New York, takes third place, with properties in the suburbs of NYC costing 57% less than central properties. However, a longer average commute time of 38 minutes drops New York into third place.

In fourth is Chicago, Illinois. Suburban properties are 42% cheaper than homes in the center of Chicago, and high public transport use statistics suggest that the city is well-suited for commuters.

Madison, Wisconsin, is in fifth place, with suburban homes costing 31% less than city center properties, and with most commuters living less than 24 minutes from their place of work.

In sixth place is Charlotte, North Carolina. Property prices outside of the center are 43% lower than inner-city homes, and Charlotte has only been knocked down into sixth position in the ranking by a slightly longer commuting time of just under 30 minutes.

Louisiana’s New Orleans is in seventh place, with suburban properties costing 38% less than those in the center. A 27-minute commute makes traveling to work easy for suburb dwellers, though for renters in the city, there is minimal difference between suburb and center costs.

In eighth is Tucson, Arizona, where a 27-minute commute could decrease the cost of a home by 34%. A suburban property in Tucson costs just $258,300, compared to $393,200 in the city center.

Buffalo, New York, has the ninth-best suburbs in the United States, with a saving of 31% on suburban homes compared to inner-city dwellings, and an average commute time of less than 24 minutes.

Rounding out the top ten best suburbs is Tulsa, Oklahoma, where suburban properties are 35% cheaper than inner-city dwellings, and are often only 24 minutes from a city center workplace.

The ten US cities with the best suburbs for commuters

A spokesperson from JeffBet commented on the findings:

“Suburban living often equates to more space, for less money, in comparison to city center dwellings. While cities like San Jose in California see an average suburban property sell for 30% more than an inner-city property, across the majority of large US cities, workers are spending large sums just to live slightly closer to their place of work.

“However, this study highlights that the suburbs may be more accessible than most people assume. All the commute times in this ranking are no greater than thirty minutes, and with savings of up to 64% on property expenses, these figures are real incentives for young people to move out of the city.

“If you are an inner-city worker considering a relocation to the suburbs, it is important to consider factors like public transport options, the cost of living, pace of life and traffic levels before deciding on your move. For many, suburban life and city center working allows for higher pay and lower expenses, particularly for the areas in this study.”

***

You Might Also Like These From The Good Men Project

Compliments Men Want to Hear More Often

Relationships Aren’t Easy, But They’re Worth It

The One Thing Men Want More Than Sex

..A Man’s Kiss Tells You Everything

—

Photo credit: iStock