Are We There Yet?

[This article consists of an illustration. Please see your hardcopy of magazine.]

MILES

MILES

5

10

15

20

25

MCDONALD’S 3 MILES (75% OF AMERICANS)

YMCA 5 MILES (80% OF AMERICANS)

WALGREENS 5 MILES (75% OF AMERICANS)

GUN DEALER 10 MILES (98% OF AMERICANS)

POLLUTED WATER 10 MILES (60% OF AMERICANS)

STARBUCKS 20 MILES (80% OF AMERICANS)

MOM 30 MILES (71% OF MARRIED AMERICANS)

71% of married Americans live within 30 miles of their mother or mother-in-law

COMMUNITY COLLEGE 25 MILES (75% OF AMERICANS)

MINUTES

MINUTES

10

20

30

40

50

REDBOX KIOSK 5 MINUTES (68% OF AMERICANS)

BEST BUY 15 MINUTES (70% OF AMERICANS)

EMERGENCY CARE 30 MINUTES (71% OF AMERICANS)

SMALL AIRPORT 30 MINUTES (98% OF AMERICANS)

WORK 30 MINUTES (75% OF AMERICANS)

BODY OF WATER 60 MINUTES (90% OF AMERICANS)

NATIONAL PARK 60 MINUTES (75% OF AMERICANS)

SOURCES: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN RETIREMENT RESEARCH CENTER; EVERYTOWN.ORG; ECONOMIST; JAMES R.A. DAVENPORT; NEW YORK TIMES; NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL; NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS; INNOSIGHT; ANNALS OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR; REDBOX; FREE FLIGHT: FROM AIRLINE HELL TO A NEW AGE OF TRAVEL, BY JAMES FALLOWS; BEST BUY; U.S. CENSUS; NATIONAL MARINE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

This appears in the September 08, 2014 issue of TIME.

Contact us at letters@time.com.