Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
The Regional Plan Association's new "jobs access map" shows the relationship between geography and access to economic opportunity. Image: Regional Plan Association
The Regional Plan Association's new "jobs access map" shows the relationship between geography and access to economic opportunity. Image: Regional Plan Association
false

They call it "spatial mismatch" -- when people are separated from job opportunities by long commutes, poor transit connections, or other geographic obstacles. How places contribute to, or thwart, economic opportunity is an increasingly hot topic, but still not entirely understood.

Today, Data Haven's Data Blog explains how the Regional Plan Association's recently released jobs access map uses newly available Census information to visualize what's happening:

The interactive tool also allows you to look at where you can get to by car, public transportation, or bike, not to mention filter by travel time, desired industry, and worker education level.

From the New Haven Green, you can walk to about 90,000 jobs within an hour commute. From the Milford Green, you can walk to about 16,000. From the Branford Green? About 3,000.

The issue of metropolitan opportunity, which is highlighted in these maps, has an enormous impact on our economy, housing, well-being, and ability to be a sustainable and resilient city. Looking at the map, it is easy to see the importance of our transportation infrastructure and land use, and how it relates to issues of affordability (transportation is generally the second-largest household expense, after housing).

In New Haven, the issue is particularly important, with New Haven Mayor Toni Harp emphasizing repeatedly that transportation is a civil rights issue. The largest-ever survey of our region, the Fall 2012 DataHaven Wellbeing Survey found that many families with children earning less than $50,000 per year did not have regular access to a car, while virtually all of those earning more than $50,000 per year did. Residents who rely on transit were much more likely to feel that the job market is poor.

Elsewhere on the Network today: Rick Bernardi at the Bicycle Law blog remarks on the shocking reliability of the old get-out-of-jail-free card for drivers who kill cyclists: "I didn't see her." And PubliCola explains a new proposal to shore up Seattle Transit after this week's electoral defeat.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

America’s Kids Deserve Better Than a Waymo Subscription

What do America's young people lose when they have to buy independence from a corporation that rents out driverless cars?

July 15, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines Aren’t Falling Fast Enough

Pedestrian deaths dropped by 4 percent last year, but remain well above pre-pandemic figures.

July 15, 2025

Monday’s Headlines Are Dragging Their Feet

The Trump administration claims the Biden administration left them with a backlog — but they've actually been far slower at getting transportation money to states than their predecessors, a new analysis finds.

July 14, 2025

These U.S. Communities’ So-Called ‘Complete Streets’ Policies Don’t Even Deserve the Name

Any city can call itself a "Complete Streets" champion. But not all of them are walking the walk — and if they don't, a top organization says they'll no longer give them a platform on its esteemed "best of" ranking.

July 14, 2025

Communities Rally To Reclaim Streets From ICE Terror

"This is an attack on Los Angeles. This is an attack on California. On all of us."

July 11, 2025

Friday Video: The London Neighborhood Where Bikes Outnumber Cars

...and how they got to that impressive milestone.

July 11, 2025
See all posts