title: Distance From Home to Work: How to Measure It Properly
url: https://boardspy.site/blog/distance-from-home-to-work/
type: Article
dateModified: 2026-08-19
publisher: BoardSpy
quick_answer: Quick answer: There are three different numbers people mean by this, and they can differ by a factor of two.
primary_keyword: distance from home to work
keywords[13]{term}:
  distance from home to work
  distance to work
  KD 27)
  commuting distance
  KD 24)
  commute distance
  KD 36)
  commute distance meaning
  KD 17)
  commuting distance meaning
  KD 14)
  distance from work to home
  home to work distance
faqs[3]{q,a}:
  How do I measure the distance from home to work?,Use road distance along the route you actually drive, not straight-line distance. Straight-line distance ignores rivers, rail lines and freeway access, and can understate a real commute by 40 percent or more in a city with geographic barriers.
  Does commuting distance affect my taxes?,No. Driving between home and a regular work location is commuting and is not tax deductible at any distance under IRS rules. The main exception is where a qualifying home office makes your home a work location.
  Is distance or time the better measure of a commute?,Time, in almost every case. A 12-mile urban commute crossing a bridge can take longer than a 40-mile rural one. Distance only becomes the right measure when you are calculating fuel or mileage costs.
citations[0]{name,url}:
internal_links[2]{label,url}:
  mileage rules and the 2026 IRS rates — including the rare mid-year change,https://boardspy.site/blog/commuting-miles/
  time-distance,https://boardspy.site/blog/commute-time-map/