Long Commute Time and Association with Physical and Mental Health Variables

Commuting to work or school is a common choice influenced by financial, social, or personal reasons, and it is important to ascertain whether this choice comes with negative health detriments. Using the county health data from 2016 and 2023 publicly available on the County Health Ranking and Roadmaps website, we conducted a retrospective review to see what health outcomes may be associated with a long commute. We looked at six different states, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. We found a very weak correlation between commute and insufficient sleep, median household income, physical inactivity, mental stress, and diabetes. Long commute times were found to be associated with obesity. Additionally, variations between states and within counties were observed. These findings are important, because those who are considering commuting should be aware of the ramifications when deciding whether or not a commute is the right decision for them.