Leaders.com
  • Business
  • Leadership
  • Wealth
  • Master Classes
  • Business
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Executives
    • Marketing and Sales
    • Social Media
    • Innovation
    • Women in Business
  • Leadership
    • Personal Growth
    • Company Culture
    • Public Speaking
    • Productivity
    • Hiring
    • Social Issues
    • Leaders
  • Wealth
    • Investing
    • Cryptocurrency
    • Retirement
    • Venture Capital
    • Loans and Borrowing
    • Taxes
    • Markets
    • Real Estate
  • Master Classes
Company Culture remote work by the numbers

More than ever before workers are choosing remote work options, changing how offices run and altering commute traffic. (Photo by Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty Images)

By Hannah Bryan Leaders Staff

Hannah Bryan

News Writer

Hannah Bryan is a news writer for Leaders Media. Most recently she was a reporter for the Sanilac County News...

Full bio


Learn about our editorial policy

Sep 16, 2022

Remote Work by the Numbers

New data quantifies that the number of remote workers in the U.S. has reached new heights, changing the way employees work, commute, and live.

Key Details

  • From 2019 to 2021 the number of Americans working remote more than tripled in number—a practice that shows no signs of slowing down.
  • More than 27 million employees primarily work from home, reports Gwynn Guiliford in The Wall Street Journal. 
  • Metropolitan areas saw the greatest increase, likely because workers in these areas primarily have white collar jobs that can be done remotely, unlike blue collar jobs. 
  • As more employees took advantage of remote work options, commute habits changed as well, with fewer people using public transportation and carpooling. The drop resulted in less traffic and shorter commute times for those who did travel to the office.

Why it’s news

Remote work is likely here to stay, with more employees preferring the flexibility of work from home options. 

As fewer employees prefer to work out of the office, businesses—and the rest of the world—will need to adapt and change. 

Some businesses are already changing the way their offices run in order to accommodate fewer employees visiting daily. 

More employees are moving away from the office, changing housing needs and reducing traffic in big cities, meaning public transportation will need to adjust to the changing demand.

There are some employers trying to force workers back to in-person offices, but with the world already adapting, that may be more difficult than expected. 

Surprising statistics

Office location isn’t the only major change that comes with remote work. Transportation habits have changed dramatically as well. Here’s a look at some of the numbers. . .

  • 17% of employees worked remotely in 2021, a dramatic increase from 5.7% in 2019.
  • 30% of employees in cities like Boulder, Colorado; Washington, D.C.; Austin, Texas; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Seattle reported working remotely for the most part. 
  • 10% of employees in smaller cities like Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Bakersfield, California; and Wichita, Kansas reported working from home. 
  • 105 million people drove to work without carpooling in 2021 compared to 119 million in 2019.
  • 3.8 million people used public transport in 2021.
Home / News / Remote Work by the Numbers
Share
FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn

Related Stories

Wall Street Makes $100 Billion Bet on Weight Loss Pills

by PJ Howland Leaders Staff
Investing

Oct 25, 2023

Ozempic

Investor optimism around a potential blockbuster obesity drug by Structure Therapeutics led to soaring share prices across the weight-loss pharma sector.

Key Details

  • Structure Therapeutics' stock jumped 35% after reporting positive results from early clinical trials of a once-daily weight-loss pill.
  • The experimental drug helped participants lose about 5% of their body weight over one month without side effects, although there are concerns with Ozempic.
  • Analysts predict the global anti-obesity medication market could reach sales of $100 billion by 2030, up from $71 billion currently.
  • With promising growth prospects, investors are betting on companies developing new weight loss drugs like Structure, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer.

Go deeper

FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn

Seattle Takes The Crown For Advanced Tech Talent

by PJ Howland Leaders Staff
Tech

Oct 24, 2023

Seattle tech talent

Seattle has emerged as the metro area with the most advanced tech talent, beating out tech hubs like San Francisco and Silicon Valley.

Key Details

  • According to a new ranking by the Burning Glass Institute, Seattle has the highest proportion of advanced tech workers compared to other cities with similarly sized tech workforces.
  • The ranking evaluated 60 million high-paying, in-demand tech job postings and histories to identify cities with cutting-edge roles like AI and cybersecurity rather than legacy tech positions.
  • With tech giants Amazon and Microsoft headquartered in Seattle, the city edged out the San Francisco Bay Area, Boston, Austin, and Raleigh on the list.
  • The report found that demand for software developers and IT support specialists has declined over the past five years as companies seek more specialized tech talent.

Go deeper

FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn

More Americans Can’t Keep Up With Car Payments

by Colin Baker Leaders Staff
Loans and Borrowing

Oct 23, 2023

car loans, used cars

A record number of Americans are behind on their car loan payments as higher interest rates and prices weigh on consumers.

Key Details

  • According to data from Fitch Ratings, 6.11% of car loans were at least 60 days delinquent in September, the highest since tracking began in the early 2000s.
  • Some interest rates on used cars can rise to as much as 21%, according to Bankrate.
  • Soaring prices and rising interest rates are squeezing consumers, making it difficult for some to keep up with their auto loans.

Go deeper

FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn
Chevron Gas Deal
Markets

Oct 23, 2023

Chevron Makes $53 Billion Deal Amid Surging Gas Prices

by PJ Howland Leaders Staff
nike logo
Company Culture

Oct 20, 2023

Nike to Require More In-Office Days From Employees

by Colin Baker Leaders Staff
blue collar workers
Retirement

Oct 20, 2023

Explaining The ‘C+ Grade’ Retirement Ecosystem in The United States

by PJ Howland Leaders Staff

Recent Articles

Hiring

Nov 1, 2023

Learn the Winning Answers to the Most Common Phone Interview Questions

Come to your next phone interview fully prepared

Personal Growth

Oct 30, 2023

85 Quotes on Self-Love to Boost Your Self-Esteem

Don’t fall into the trap of harsh self-criticism

Company Culture

Oct 27, 2023

What is a Sabbatical? Your Ticket to Restful Growth and Meaning

Sabbaticals can benefits both employees and businesses

  • Business
  • Leadership
  • Wealth
Join the Leaders Community

Get exclusive tools and resources you need to grow as a leader and scale a purpose-driven business.

Subscribing indicates your consent to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

Leaders.com
  • Privacy Policy
  • About
  • Careers
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Member Login

© 2025 Leaders.com - All rights reserved.

Search Leaders.com