Why Commutes Aren't Twice as Long in Cities With Twice the Population

It’s no surprise that larger cities are more productive cities. As a metro area expands it becomes home to a stronger labor market: workers can pick from more and better jobs, and jobs can choose from more and better workers. Meanwhile the collective powers of an urban environment—the ability to share knowledge and basic infrastructure, for instance—give rise to greater wealth and ideas than population growth alone would predict.

What is a little surprising is that even as cities get larger, life in them doesn’t necessarily grind to a halt. Sure, it can sometimes feel like that’s the case when you’re stuck in rush-hour gridlock. But while traffic congestion may be a personal annoyance, it’s also a broad indication of a healthy economy. If it’s easy for you to drive right downtown at 9 a.m. on a Monday, there probably isn’t much downtown to do.