Where Do Metrorail Riders Live?

July 1st, 2013

The strongest growth in ridership for Metrorail is coming from the inner jurisdictions of the District of Columbia, Arlington, and Alexandria. In these areas, home to 43% of all rail riders, ridership has grown twice as fast as the system as a whole.

Our 2012 Metrorail Passenger Survey can tell us where rail riders live, which is a key input for determining how Metro is funded by our regional partners. But it also gives us insight into where Metro’s growth markets are and how Metro’s ridership is evolving. Overall, rail ridership in the 2012 survey increased three percent since our prior passenger survey in 2007 – but where do our new riders live?

Where do Metrorail riders live? Ridership growth has been strongest among residents in inner jurisdictions, and has been holding steady in outer jurisdictions.

Where do Metrorail riders live? Ridership growth has been strongest among residents in inner jurisdictions, and has been holding steady in outer jurisdictions.


Change in jurisdiction of residence for Metrorail riders between 2007 and 2012.

Change in jurisdiction of residence for Metrorail riders between 2007 and 2012.

What patterns do you see here?

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  1. Matt Dickens
    July 2nd, 2013 at 08:44 | #1

    Prince George’s is failing to develop activity centers around its Metro stations and it shows in the decline in ridership.

    It would be interesting to combine this with multiple years worth of ridership data at the trip level to see just what sorts of trips have grown or declined.

    Is there any plan to release a comprehensive paper with the results of the passenger survey?

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