ACS 2024 5-YEAR ESTIMATES↗ DIRECTIONAL CHANGE FROM 2021UPDATED JAN 29, 2026
COMMUTESHIFTHow America gets to work
PLACE · MI · GEOID 26228802024 5-YEAR

COMMUTE PROFILE

Dowagiac, Michigan

Mean one-way trip22.6 min±7.0 min MOE
Worked from home3.3%±3.1 pp MOE
Drove alone75.7%±6.0 pp MOE
60+ minute trip8.8%among commuters

U.S. Census Bureau ACS estimates for residents age 16+ who work. Commute time excludes people working from home.

01 / THE SHIFT

What changed in the published estimate?

These periods overlap: 2021 covers 2017–2021 and 2024 covers 2020–2024. Changes are directional comparisons, not independent annual measurements.

Mean commute24.3 min → 22.6 min▼ 1.7 min

Average for workers who did not work from home.

Work from home2.0% → 3.3%▲ 1.4 pp

Share of workers age 16+ who usually worked from home.

Public transit0.0% → 1.5%▲ 1.5 pp

Public transportation excluding taxi.

Drive alone83.0% → 75.7%▼ 7.3 pp

Car, truck, or van—drove alone.

02 / MODE SHARE

How residents usually get to work

Drive alone75.7% ±6.0 pp
Carpool10.7% ±4.8 pp
Public transit1.5% ±2.2 pp
Walk4.1% ±4.1 pp
Bicycle0.0% ±0.6 pp
Work from home3.3% ±3.1 pp

Each share uses 2,544 estimated workers as its denominator. Categories shown here do not include every ACS mode.

03 / PEER CONTEXT

Compared with similar-size places

Percentiles are single-metric context, never a “good commute” score.

36thMean commute percentile

Mean commute time is lower than about 64% of covered places in the under 25k population band.

6thWork-from-home percentile

The work-from-home share is lower than about 94% of covered places in the under 25k population band.

75thTransit percentile

The public-transit share is higher than about 75% of covered places in the under 25k population band.

64th60+ minute percentile

The 60+ minute share is higher than about 64% of covered places in the under 25k population band.

04 / ESTIMATE BASE

The counts behind the shares

Population estimate5,732± 36 MOE
Workers age 16+2,544± 322 MOE
Workers with travel time2,459± 325 MOE
Estimated home workers85± 80 MOE
Why the ± matters

ACS values are survey estimates. The margin of error is the 90% confidence interval published by the Census Bureau or calculated for a share from published component margins. Small differences can be sampling noise.