Work

Analysis of Marriage and Birth Rates as a Means for Distributing Transportation Funding

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: In January 2025, the United States Department of Transportation mandated that transportation funding prioritize communities with marriage and birth rates above national averages. This study analyzes 2019–2023 American Community Survey data to examine the relationship between these rates and transportation burden using multivariate regression at the state and county levels. Lower state-level birth rates were linked with longer commutes, higher poverty, and higher education, while higher county-level birth rates correlated with shorter commutes. Marriage rates were influenced by poverty and access to cars. Spatial patterns show higher rates in rural areas and lower rates in urban centers.

Source: Findings

DOI: 10.32866/001c.154164

Authors: Marcella Kaplan, Courtney Cronley, Kevin Heaslip

Institution: University of Tennessee at Knoxville

Language: English

Topic: Transportation Planning and Optimization

Subfield: Transportation

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $100