Why do people in the US live so far away from work?

And then turn around and complain about fuel prices as if there's nothing they can do about it?

There are many reasons. Some are personal while others are more related to history and design.

For starters, most U.S. cities have 'districts' where many company headquarters are located. Commonly, this is the 'downtown' area of the city (NYC, Philadelphia, etc.), but not always. Some cities have numerous districts (Houston, for example).

People who work "downtown" generally do not live downtown. This is because of one or more of the following personal reasons:

1. Crime

2. School systems are generally better in the suburbs

3. Cost - it is expensive

In addition to the above reasons, the development of much of the U.S. coincided with the invention of the automobile. Many western U.S. cities were designed with auto travel in mind (never imagining that a day may come when we'd want to abandon the auto). Today, it's practically impossible to live in these cities and still function without a car (examples: LA, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Houston, Dallas, almost every city in Florida...).

Many of these cities are not pedestrian or bicycle safe. Sidewalks are entirely absent in some areas and drivers have no idea how to deal with cyclists. In addition, because the city was designed with the auto in mind, everything is far apart. So, walking is pointless. You could start in the morning and you still wouldn't be at your job by nightfall. In a car, it can take hours to traverse the entire length of LA or Houston. So imagine walking it.

Lastly, I completely disagree with the previous answer. Reliable convenient transportation? Ha. They must live on the east coast where cities existed long before cars were even an idea. Many southern and western cities actually do not have reliable public transportation services that come on time, does not breakdown and are safe. Also, many bus lines just stop running on the weekends. How are you going to get anything done? You're not - if you don't have a car.

Having lived most of my life in cities designed with a walker in mind, man do I miss it. I hate the city I live in now because of its obnoxious driving. But, if I didn't drive, I'd lose my job because half the time the bus would either be late or leave early. I've got $120K in student loan debt. So, I can't afford to lose my job. But, because my monthly student loan payment is so high, I also can't afford to live downtown (where I work). So, you tell me.

Good residential communities and good places to find a job rarely coincide.

As far as fuel prices go, they seem to have very little to do with supply and demand. Part is that speculators drive up prices any time there is trouble in the Middle East but prices don't fall when Saudi Arabia says that they can boost production, Part is that BIG Oil knows that the president will be blamed by the people barely intelligent enough to be allowed to vote and they want a president who will not hold them to high environmental standards. I'm not mentioning any names, of course.

You are generalizing here. People in big cities don't even own cars..they take public transportation to work which is very environmentally friendly and they don't pay for the fuel themselves so would not be complaining about it. Most big cities make it very affordable and conveinient to take public transport. Sure, some areas do have people commuting, some people live in the suburbs because it is cheaper and safer and commute to the city. Many people also own hybrid and electric cars as well, and don't complain either. Sounds like you just have something against the US since you are pulling this info out of your @ss.

How about you come here and try to find a job within 10 miles radius. When you can't, try extending it to 20. You can't. You're starting to get desperate now and you're afraid you're not going to be able to pay the bills. 30 miles. 45 miles. 60 miles. You find a job, but it still pays very low. On top of that, you have a gas guzzler from 1974 but it's the only one you could afford.

Welcome to the USA. Would you like fries with that?

In the U.S., if you're a professional, you find a job, then find a good place to live. If the job is good, then it will pay the bills for you to travel to it every day. It's not like we look for jobs that are 30 miles away before looking for jobs that are closer. It's just that that's how it is. You look for a good job, then you look for a good place to live. Sometimes, you just aren't lucky enough to get them to be close together.

cause sometimes the only "job" available is 47 miles away... one way... unless you live in a city ... then you have to contend with Aholes stealing your gas