Kansas City has highest per-household transportation cost in U.S.

According to a GG2 News article, Center for Housing Policy, a non-profit organization representing urban planners, developers and other groups has analyzed transportation costs for different U.S. cities:

The group`s analysis of 28 cities using US Census data showed families earning between $20,000 and $50,000 a year spent an average of 28 per cent of their incomes on housing and 29 per cent on transportation.

The gap was much greater for families earning less than $35,000 and living in distant suburbs who spent 37 per cent of their incomes on transportation. . . .

US households spent an average of 27 per cent of their incomes on housing, 21 per cent on transportation, 11 per cent on food and 5 per cent on health care. The study was the first to provide estimates of US transportation costs - to work, school and for errands - and to show how it affects people in specific neighborhoods, Lipman said.

In New York City, where 31 per cent of commuters take public transit and 8 per cent walk or bike to work, households spend $7,880 a year on transportation.

On the other end of the spectrum, people in Kansas City, Missouri, where 93 per cent of workers drive their own vehicle to work, transportation outlays were $10,872.

In short, our exclusive reliance on one-person-per-automobile travel is making our cities less affordable and less competitive. It is hurting our economic development. And it is particularly hurting most those who can afford it the least.

According to the study of families with household incomes of $20-$50,000, Kansas City has the highest percentage of any major city of commuting via private vehicle, the lowest percentage of those commuting by transit, the lowest percentage of those commuting by bicycling and walking, and the 2nd highest total transportation cost.

St. Louis was not far behind on any of these statistics--5th highest total transportation cost.

Source: A Heavy Load: The Combined Housing and Transportation
Burdens of Working Families [PDF file], page 4.