Washington Post
(11/12/2013 2:30 PM, Mark Berman)

How much would it cost to move from the suburbs into downtown Washington? Or how much could you save if you could ditch the car and start walking to work?

A new Web site unveiled Tuesday by federal officials hopes to answer these and other questions often faced by individuals or families trying to figure out where to live, how to get around and what they can afford.

The free tool, which was announced by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan and Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, is meant to “give people a sense of the true cost of living in a neighborhood,” Foxx said during a conference call with reporters.

“By adding transportation to the housing equation, this tool will help families all across the country make better decisions about where to live and work and how to commute,” he said.

The Location Affordability Portal has a transportation cost calculator that lets people know how much they would spend on transportation and housing each month — and lets people see how the costs would change if they altered their commuting habits or moved to a different area.