COMMUTING DISTANCE AND GENDER AMONG NONMETROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES

Abstract

The applicability of metropolitan-derived explanations of gender differences in worktrip lengths is examined based on a sample of 435 university employees in the nonmetropolitan town of Blacksburg, VA. Women's worktrips are found to be longer than men's in contrast to metropolitan findings. This pattern results from the interaction of spatial structures of housing and employment with women's lower incomes, gender segregation of employment, and the tendency for married women to find jobs after their residence is established. Upward trends in female labor force participation rates and in nonmetropolitan growth require continued analysis of their joint impact on women's spatial behavior. Key Words: Journey to workwomen's travelnonmetropolitan Notes Her research interests include spatial behavior. His research interests are economic geography, transportation, and the geography of Appalachia. ∗We wish to thank those who reviewed an earlier draft and provided helpful suggestions: Susan Hanson, Robert Cromley, and Ronald Mitchelson.