Analysis: Super commuting sees small decrease in Sonoma County

The number of Sonoma County super commuters - those who drive at least 90 minutes each way to and from work - slightly decreased from 2009 to 2017, according to an analysis of U.S. Census data by Apartment List.

Long-distance drivers accounted for 3.6% of Sonoma County's 226,675-person workforce in 2017, according to Apartment List's analysis. In 2009, that percentage was 3.7%, although it is unclear how the devastating 2017 wildfires may have affected the data.

Other North Bay cities also saw slight changes between 2009 and 2017, although the numbers have remained stable overall.

The percentage of super commuters in Mendocino County also decreased by .1% from 2.9% to 2.8%, according to the analysis. By comparison, Lake and Napa counties saw about 1% increases in their share of the workforce, while Marin County saw a 1.5% increase.

More people are traveling long distances to work across the country, but it's especially true in coastal regions with high costs of living, such as the Bay Area or the New York City Metro, the analysis reported. Nationally, about 2.9% of percent of the workforce are considered super commuters.

While super commuting often is associated with driving, the study found that an increasing number of people are relying on public transit to get to work.

Click here to view the number of super commuters in each county nationwide.