Should the x-Minute City Include Commutes? An Evaluation Using Commute and Well-Being Data from the Singapore Life PanelⓇ

Over the past decade, the x-minute city — or “chrono-urbanism” — has gained traction in transport planning, emphasizing residents’ ability to access essential destinations within 15-min travel time from their homes. Some cities, including Sydney and Singapore, have extended this concept to commuting, with Singapore’s Land Transport Authority targeting a “45-min city” for daily commutes by 2040. While well-intentioned, applying time-based goals to commuting remains controversial. This study evaluates the validity of the x-minute commute city as a transport planning objective by examining the link between commuting duration and well-being. Using high-frequency panel data from 2,535 Singapore residents aged 55 to 75, we analyze how commuting affects life satisfaction. Among Housing and Development Board residents using walk–cycle–ride modes, 45.5% report one-way commutes exceeding 45 min. Contrary to the “commuting paradox”, longer commutes were not associated with lower life satisfaction. During the COVID-19 pandemic, around 30% of respondents worked from home, yet the absence of commuting did not correlate with higher well-being. These findings call for caution in extending the 15-min city concept from local accessibility to job accessibility. Rather, policies should be guided by empirical evidence and nuanced understandings of local contexts and urban trade-offs, as well as travel behavior and preferences.