Analysis of Marriage and Birth Rates as a Means for Distributing Transportation Funding

In January 2025, the United States Department of Transportation mandated that transportation funding prioritize communities with marriage and birth rates above national averages. This study analyzes 2019–2023 American Community Survey data to examine the relationship between these rates and transportation burden using multivariate regression at the state and county levels. Lower state-level birth rates were linked with longer commutes, higher poverty, and higher education, while higher county-level birth rates correlated with shorter commutes. Marriage rates were influenced by poverty and access to cars. Spatial patterns show higher rates in rural areas and lower rates in urban centers.