Average Commute: Does the Long Road Pay Off?

We’ve shown you how much you can expect to make at a job in each Connecticut town, but not everyone works in the town they live in.

Commute time is an important metric for homebuyers, who should consider proximity, major traffic fluxuations (such as particularly bad rush-hours or extended construction), and opportunities to take advantage of public transportation or carpooling.

Ideally, though, the shorter the better.

In their buyer’s guide, real estate website Zillow lists commute time as the first factor to take into consideration.

“Where do you work, how do you get there and how much time are you willing to spend on your commute?” they write. “One thing to keep in mind: Psychology experts who have studied happiness argue that you’re more likely to be happy if you buy a smaller house with a shorter commute than a bigger house with a longer commute.”

The interactive map above shows the average time to work for commuters in that zip code, as well as the percent of commuters traveling more than an hour and less than 10 minutes, and a breakdown of median income based on the style of commuting.

Also check out the towns with the longest and shortest commutes and come back next week for the full ranking of the best towns in Connecticut to buy a home.