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Census: Hamilton County has high commuting rate

Associated Press
March 7, 2013
Keywords
Automotive, Commuting, Interstates/Highways, Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
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New U.S. Census Bureau figures show that central Indiana's Hamilton County has one of the nation's highest ratios of residents who travel to another county for work.

The Census Bureau data show that four of nine workers in Hamilton County — or about 58,900 — travel south to adjacent Marion County for their jobs. That ranks Hamilton County sixth among the nation's counties that serve as bedroom communities.

Nationwide, 27 percent of workers, on average, travel outside of their county of residence to their job.

The numbers come from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey of 2006-10 estimates released this week, the Journal Gazette reported.

Those numbers also show that Marion County, home of Indianapolis, has one of the nation's highest numbers of commuters coming in from another county. The data show more than 205,000 people who work in Marion live outside the county. About 66,000 residents leave Marion County for their jobs, with about 26,000 heading to Hamilton County, 12,000 to Hendricks County and 9,000 to Johnson County.

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  • Sources and Uses
    CommuterMarch 7, 2013 8:58 PM
    DRT- Marion County (and Hamilton County for that matter) are donor counties to the state (we contribute more to the state than we get back). Sales tax is solely a state tax and doesn't do anything to fund local services. You pay your local income taxes where you live regardless of where you generate that income and that is just wrong. Not to mention the large swaths of government and nonprofit land in Marion County that don't pay property taxes. The fact that you don't understand the uses of the taxes you pay is a bug part of the problem.
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  • Benefit
    DRTMarch 7, 2013 4:54 PM
    You mean the income they generate that is taxed at the state level that finds its way back to Indy? You mean the sales tax on food (lunch, dinners, gas stations, mall, parking) that is generated by the commuters? The demand for more businesses in Marion county, since people are obviously willing to drive there from Hamilton county, which then equals more business and property taxes. But yeah how dare those darn suburbanites drive to Marion county and patronize businesses.
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    • HOUSING HOUSING
      Stephen Alexander AIAMarch 7, 2013 1:31 PM
      It sounds like a major housing development initiative in Marion County would make some sense.
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    • Commuters
      CommuterMarch 7, 2013 12:13 PM
      How is it fair that 205,000 people drive in to Marion County everyday to generate income but pay absolutely nothing into the system that funds our streets, EMS, etc. It's itme to re-examine how local income taxes are paid!
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    • I'm shocked!
      JohnMarch 7, 2013 11:37 AM
      ok, not really.
      Reply to CommentFlag Comment

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    1. Saw the Indy Men's Chorus "Music of Gilbert & Sullivan" at the Indiana Historical Society on Sunday evening.

    2. Temporary workers are not "tools" they are people and companies that keep large amounts of temp staff are cheating.

    3. I miss having them around. I hope one of their stores is in the general Meridian/86th Street area. I will make good use of it.

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