 | Times-Mirror File Photo/Jason Hornick Traffic backs up on the Route 7 bypass around Leesburg during the evening rush hour commute in 2001. |
Loudouners are paying some of the highest housing and transportation costs in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region, according to a study recently released by the Chicago-based Center for Neighborhood Technology.
The group used a tool – the Housing + Transportation Affordability Index – in cooperation with the D.C. Office of Planning to survey how transportation costs are weighing on residents’ wallets. The tool has been applied to all 337 metro areas in the country.
According to the study, transportation and housing costs combined account for 65 percent of residents’ household incomes in western Loudoun County. In eastern portions of the county, they account for 42 to 45 percent.
In western Loudoun, there’s limited access to public transportation and most residents use automobiles as their sole method of commuting.
The costs of owning a vehicle, including its maintenance, fuel costs, depreciation, insurance and taxes drives up the price residents pay to live further away from their jobs, the study found.
“Our years of research show that transportation costs are a significant part of a household budget—sometimes exceeding housing expenses — and those costs vary significantly depending on where a person lives,” said Peter Haas, chief research scientist for CNT in a statement. “Places that are ‘location efficient’, which offer multiple transportation options and access to amenities, tend to have low transportation costs. This helps residents be more economically resilient, and enables them to better weather economic adversity.”
Most of Loudoun County’s commuters are traveling 26,100 to 34,800 miles a year to get to work, according to the study. Only 4 to 7 percent of residents are using public transit as a method of commuting.
Western Loudouners are paying $1,500 to $1,770 on average every month in transportation costs, the study found. In eastern Loudoun, the costs are $1,280 to $1,370.
“High transportation costs in these areas erode the perceived savings on housing, and these areas become some of the more expensive places to live in the region,” the study says.
Traditionally, a home is considered affordable if its costs consume no more than 30 percent of a household’s income.
The majority of Loudoun County is exceeding that benchmark by 45 percent or more, the study found.
Loudoun County stands in stark contrast to some D.C. neighborhoods.
The most affordable areas of the city include east of the Anacostia River, Shaw/Eckington, Columbia Heights and the areas around the national parks. These areas, according to the study, have low combined housing and transportation costs.
However, Clarke and Culpeper counties in Virginia have low housing costs but high transportation costs.
The study found that in many areas where residents “drive to qualify” for affordable housing, transportation costs could exceed household incomes by 32 percent.
In contrast, the study found that in some communities where residents were less dependent on automobiles for transportation, their transportation accounted as little as 10 percent of their household income.
The study did not take into account different levels of taxation and cost of living.
To view the study, visit http://www.cnt.org/repository/CNT-DC-HT-report.pdf
I think this study fails to remember why we live in Loudoun Co.; more house for the money. I could have spent the same amount on a house in Alexandria or Arlington and it would be 30-50% smaller and would have needed tons of repairs and lacked a garage. I know I looked, I wanted to live inside the beltway.
Pay off your car Jon and you can be like the rest of us. What a foolish way to spend your money?
The 11 year old Honda takes the abuse. The Audi comes out on weekends.
Hey Allen- get a clue. Did you even graduate HS? Can you do basic math?
“In eastern Loudoun, the costs are $1,280 to $1,370”.
In my household expenses per month :
2 car payments: $700
Fuel expenses on 2 cars: $400 (LOCO to MOCO)
Insurance on 2 cars: $150
LOCO Personal Property Tax: $50 per month
Total $1,300
This is commuting from Ashburn. This figure doesnt include depreciation, tolls, parking, and repair and maintence costs.
It’s a study done by a Chicago firm in cooperation with the D.C. Office of Planning. Did they talk to anyone in Virginia or Maryland?
The bike trail that runs from western Loudoun to Alexandria was once a light rail bed. Clearly the highest and best use of that system would be a return to light rail, providing an alternative to the costs and headaches of the single occupant vehicle commute on overcrowded roads.
Forgot to add that the house was only $250K.
I live in WV and commute to Fairfax. Where does the study take into account my 3/4 acre lot with a two story colonial, great schools for my kids, save play areas, no gunfire to worry about and the clean air and quiet lifestyle? Some things you just can’t put a value on.
These commuting costs mentioned in the article are rediculous. I believe very few people are paying that much to commute to DC. It would require traveling the Toll Road both ways, paying for DC parking, and getting about 20 miles per gallon. This doesn’t describe most commuters. If it did, Route 7 would be empty. The article also said that 4-7% are using public transportation. Well, about 1200 people take the Loudoun County bus every day. Are there really 24,000 commuters from Loudoun to DC? This study doesn’t appear to be sound.
+Livn the life. I live in Lovettsville and work in Reston. I’ve taken the train train many times into the DC office and its very enjoyable. My day is a little bit longer but it I was relaxed reading a book and felt rested by the time I got home. Yes it would be nicer to live closer to work, but it was a compromise between my job and my wife’s.
Move to Lovettsville and ride the MARC train in Brunswick! - win/win! (unless you don’t like squirkels!)
part of the problem is you don’t count on BOS to allow anything and everything to be built as if it’s tysons corner. Nothing wrong with less development. And if a developer wants to build in Loudoun, should have made them pay out the a$$ to provide all the infrastructure. Instead, BOS just pretty much rubber stamped every community/development. The commute was not bad 20 years ago, so can’t blame families that were living in loudoun prior to the boom. Just corrupt people in politics, not listening to their people they represent.
I live in Loudoun County because I can’t afford to live elsewhere. I work in Alexandria because that’s the only place I could find a job that pays enough to live. If I could afford to do it differently, I would. I hate commuting and can’t really afford the expense, but I need to live somewhere cheaper (Loudoun County) and work some place that has jobs (Alexandria and DC area). Just wanted to add another perspective to the comments section.
EVERYWHERE IS LIKE THAT…LIVE WITH IT…I’VE BEEN PAYING FOR YRS….MAYBE THEY DON’T REALLY NEED THOSE EXPENSIVE CARS THAT LIFE
It’s stupid “smart growth” policies in Loudoun that has forced people to move further west to gain affordable housing. Therefore, the law of unintended consequences forces people to live in W.VA and drive through Loudoun.
@alby: An emphatic +1. I’m tired of the griping about traffic, tolls, roads, & commute times. Those who have to battle those knew (or should have known) about those hassles when they chose to buy/rent. For many, it’s a lifestyle choice that reflects priorities: either live in your ideal neighborhood far away from work or sacrifice a bit to live closer to work. I’m not saying either is the right/wrong choice. I’m just saying make your decision, live with it, and stop whining.
There are more and more people who own a vehicle, cars or others. And the cost on it are also huge,like its maintenance, fuel costs, depreciation, insurance and taxes. And there has been a slogan that we can afford a car which we can’t afford using it.I have never been to Western Loudoun. But i ca also understand the people living there.
contact lenses
I find myself agreeing with commentors with whom I don’t usually agree. It is a personal choice to commute. Loudoun is among the wealthiest counties and fastest growing counties in the United States of America. It is a desirable place to live. As a result, there are trade offs - particularly if individuals choose to commute. Am I supposed to feel sorry for the poor Loudoun commuter who has chosen to live here and commute? There is a train at Pt of Rocks if they want to get to DC and points in between. There is also a bus. If enough people choose these options there will be less traffic and increased public transporation opportunities. We Americans can be such incredible cry babies. Excuse me, I need to find a Kleenex to wipe my cryin’ eyes and snot nose. I have it so hard living here in Loudoun County, Virginia.
“In western Loudoun, there’s limited access to public transportation and most residents use automobiles as their sole method of commuting.”
...and if they don’t like it, they shouldn’t have moved to Western Loudoun in the first place.
This looks like the type of study that will be used to justify taxing us by the mile for our “location inefficiency”.
>>> The study did not take into account different levels of taxation and cost of living.
Nor did it take into account different standards/quality of living if it draws no distinction between western Loudoun and Anacostia besides access to public transit.
>>>Most of Loudoun County’s commuters are traveling 26,100 to 34,800 miles a year to get to work
I find this hard to believe. If we assume round trip, 10 holidays, and 10 vacation days/year, that’s 108 miles/day on the low end. So “most” of western Loudoun works in downtown DC (or beyond) 5 days/week, never telecommutes…Really?
Haha. Oh boy, I can’t wait to move to Anacostia or Columbia Heights for the cheaper commute. What fine neighborhoods those are.
I don’t pay anywhere near that figure to commute by the way. If you pay that much, you should take the LC Commuter Bus or something, it’d be $320 a month working 5 days a week.
I’m also not exactly driving a brand new BMW 25k a year either. I have a commuter vehicle that gets good gas mileage and is cheap to maintain.
In other words, DUH.
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