Chestnut Hill Realty’s New Transportation Survey Offers Insight Into Post-Pandemic Work Habits and Opportunity for Innovative Employer Partnerships
Survey Reconfirms Remote Work is Here to Stay
As hybrid work patterns continue to reshape how Greater Boston residents live, work and commute, an important new survey by Chestnut Hill Realty (CHR), New England’s largest multi-family residential community, of over 763 Hancock Village residents confirms a dramatic shift in transportation and employment trends—offering employers and urban planners a window into the evolving needs of today’s renters.
CHR commissioned MDM Transportation Consultants earlier this Spring to conduct a comprehensive transportation survey to better understand and evaluate commuting habits and improve resident service. Sent to current residents of Hancock Village – a multi-family residential community of over 1,300 new and renovated homes in Brookline and West Roxbury (part of Chestnut Hill) —the survey has already yielded key findings that are shaping future housing, transit and employer partnerships.
Key Findings
- Remote Work is Here to Stay: Fully half of Hancock Village residents now work remotely all or part of the time, with 45% working from home five days a week. Only 49% report commuting to a physical workplace daily.
- Driving Still Dominates, but Public Transit Significant: 419 respondents drive alone to work, while 187 use public transport. The MBTA Green Line is the most popular route, followed by the MBTA bus and the Orange Line. (Some people may also use the MBTA bus to access the Green and Orange Lines.)
- Commute Windows Reflect Traditional Schedules: 456 respondents commute between 7-9am, with smaller percentages traveling earlier or later.
- New Employment Centers Identified: While the Longwood Medical area remains a top destination, significant commuting was also recorded to Newton/Needham, followed by Boston College, and Boston University—an insight revealing a broader geographic employment pattern than expected.
These data points are more than academic as CHR is using the results to drive practical change. “We’re now exploring expanded ride-share programs and Preferred Employer partnerships to help streamline commuting for residents while easing parking and infrastructure needs for employers,” said Ed Zuker, CHR’s Founder and CEO. “This is a win-win for residents, employers and the environment.”
The survey was incentivized with nearly $30,000 in Visa gift cards and celebrated in a community prize drawing featuring local leaders like West Roxbury Neighborhood Council president Larry Costello, as well as Carlos Tamayo, housing advocate and former Brookline Precinct 2 Town Meeting member before moving to Precinct 16—a unique resident-first strategy.
Trends with Broader Implications
CHR’s findings come at a critical time for urban and suburban planning. Car ownership is declining among residents—possibly in response to more flexible work arrangements, and employers are interested in reducing parking expenses and emissions. As housing providers like CHR take proactive steps to meet these demands, the model could influence real estate and HR recruitment strategies across the region.
“Back when I started CHR in the 1960s, the goal was simple: provide a clean, safe place to live,” said Zuker. “Today, it’s about providing space for work, relaxation, and community—supporting the whole lifestyle, not just the home address. Now, we offer more space to work from home, space for exercising indoors and outside, relaxing and socializing—with business centers featuring internet lounges, conference rooms, private offices and cafes and community spaces with pool and dedicated activity areas.”
Located on the Hancock Village campus is a shopping plaza that can meet the community’s daily needs and a pre-school for children ages 8 weeks to 5 years old. Bordering Hancock Village is Brookline’s K-12 Baker School and Atrius Health Center.
Final survey results, incorporating responses from future residents moving in by September 30, 2025, will be published in October. CHR plans to share insights with regional employers, transportation planners and policymakers to foster smarter growth and more responsive housing solutions.
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PICTURED: Chestnut Hill Realty Founder and CEO Ed Zuker and transportation survey grand prize winner and Hancock Village resident Myoungsu Cho.