East-West Gateway’s July 2022 Map of the Month depicts the average travel time to work per person by median household income in 2020 by census tracts. Generally, the map shows relatively high commute travel times combined with relatively low to moderate incomes in the rural part of the region. The suburban areas tend to see more moderate to short travel times and moderate incomes. The core, including the city of St. Louis and East St. Louis, generally see relatively lower incomes and varying travel times – from some of the shortest travel times in the region but also some areas with relatively long commute times. Residents that reside in census tracts around the I-64 corridor have relatively low commute times and high average incomes.
Using the legend, one can see what relationships median household incomes (high to low) have with average commute time (long to short) for each census tract in the East-West Gateway region. Census tracts representing the longest commutes and the lowest income bracket comprise 18 percent of all census tracts in the East-West Gateway region and are shown in blue on the map. Census tracts representing the shortest commutes and highest income bracket comprise just 2 percent of all census tracts in the East-West Gateway region and are shown in red on the map.
Travel time break points are derived by dividing the average travel times for all tracts into thirds. The first third is 0 to 22.9 minutes, the second is 23 to 26.7, and the last third is any commute more than 26.8 minutes. Median household income break points are derived from the median household income for the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) of $65,587. The first group is $0 to $52,470 or 0 to 80 percent of the median household income for the St. Louis MSA. The second group is $52,471 to $130,448 or 81 to 200 percent of the median household income. The third group includes all tracts with median household incomes greater than $130,448.