To What Extent did the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect the Relationship Between Salary Income and Travel Time to Work?

Authors

  • Lucas Gauthier University of Colorado Boulder
  • Elizabeth Scanlon University of Colorado Boulder
  • Adis Bajraktarevic University of Colorado Boulder
  • Dominic Minolli University of Colorado Boulder

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33011/cuhj20253583

Keywords:

COVID-19, Commuting, Labor Markets

Abstract

This paper seeks to answer the question: How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect the relationship between salary income and travel time to work? We expect our analysis will find that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a reversal in the relationship between commute time and salary income. This would mean that, following the pandemic, individuals with higher incomes would, on average, experience shorter commute times than individuals with lower incomes. Consistent with previous studies on the transition to remote work, our research found that the relationship between income and commute times changed following the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we found a reversal in the relationship between working from home and annual income, with higher-income individuals being more likely to work from home in 2021 following the pandemic.

Author Biography

Lucas Gauthier, University of Colorado Boulder

I am an undergraduate student at the University of Colorado Boulder majoring in Economics and Envionmental Studies with minors in Philosophy and Leadership Studies. My works published in the 2023 Honors Journal were written for my IB Diploma Extended Essay and English HL Essay my senior year of high school.

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Published

2025-04-29

How to Cite

Gauthier, L., Scanlon, E., Bajraktarevic, A., & Minolli, D. (2025). To What Extent did the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect the Relationship Between Salary Income and Travel Time to Work? . University of Colorado Honors Journal, 215–216. https://doi.org/10.33011/cuhj20253583

Issue

Section

Social Science