Commuter town

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A commuter town is a mainly residential area where most people live, but work elsewhere. People in these towns travel from home to work every day, which is why they’re called “commutes.”

Other names for commuter towns include bedroom community, bedroom town, and dormitory town. The word exurb is used for areas beyond suburbs that are still places where people live and commute to a city, but are less densely built.

Why towns become commuter towns
- Housing in the city can be very expensive, so people move to nearby towns with lower costs but still work in the city.
- As housing gets pricier, even renters with good income can struggle to buy a home close to good schools and amenities.

Examples and patterns
- In the United States, many Bay Area towns like Tracy have a large share of workers who commute to San Francisco.
- When heavy industry declines, nearby towns can grow as people move to other cities for work. For example, Steubenville and nearby areas became more connected to Pittsburgh as highways and other links improved.
- In Japan, railways are privately owned and actively develop new residential and commercial areas around their lines, coordinating train schedules to fit commuters.

North America vs other models
- In North America, commuting is mainly by car.
- In some other countries, especially Japan, railroads play a central role in developing towns and guiding where people live and work.

Effects on towns and people
- If a town has few businesses and relies mostly on residents’ taxes, property and income taxes may rise to pay for services.
- Growth can push up housing prices and change the character of a town, sometimes displacing long-time residents.
- Zoning rules can limit cheap housing near places of employment, affecting who can live there.
- Building new roads and transit to support commuters can make a town feel more connected to a city but also increase traffic and sprawl.

Well-being and commuting
- Studies have found that people who commute long distances may feel more anxious and less satisfied with daily life, even if they earn more.

Exurbs and growth
- The term exurb comes from “extra urban.” It describes areas beyond suburbs that still serve as commuter towns for a city.
- Exurban growth often starts with a few hundred homes, then adds stores and jobs, which increases demand for roads, schools, and services.
- Some regions use growth boundaries to protect farms and small towns by encouraging higher density in central towns and slowing sprawl.