Big cities seem to get most of the attention. People debate their merits compared with small towns and the rural life. Suburbs don’t get the same respect.
But according to a report from the Urban Land Institute, 79% of the American population live in suburbs. That includes 85% of the nation’s children and 75% of Millennials.
Contrary to the stereotypes about “white flight,” suburbs are racially and ethnically diverse, with 76% of the minority population living in suburbs. And suburbs are where most of the nation’s jobs, businesses, and economic vitality can be found.
After the jump, Richard Mize summarizes the report.
Why do you think so many people live in suburbia? A lot of people criticize the suburbs. Can you defend them?
From RIchard Mize, Urban Land Institute: Urban, suburban: not either-or, but both | News OK:
Nationally, suburbs account for 79 percent of the population, 78 percent of the households, 32 percent of the land area, and 75 percent of the young adults aged 25 to 35, according to the study.
Among other key findings:
•”Suburban growth has driven recent metropolitan growth. From 2000-2015, suburban areas accounted for 91 percent of the population growth and 84 percent of the household growth in the top 50 metros.”
•”The large majority of Americans work in suburbs, although job growth has been more balanced recently. As of 2014, 67.5 percent of the employment in the 50 largest metros was in suburbs.”
•”Between 2005 and 2010, employment in suburban areas remained stagnant, while it increased by 8.2 percent in urban areas. But between 2010 and 2014, jobs increased by 9 percent in suburbs versus 6 percent in urban areas.”
•”Suburban residents overall have higher incomes. The median household income in the suburbs is $71,000, which is substantially higher than the median household income of $49,200 for urban areas.”
•”The suburbs are ‘young’ compared to their regions overall. The suburbs are home to 85 percent of children aged 18 and younger, as well as 75 percent of young adults aged 25 to 34.”
•”American suburbs as a whole are racially and ethnically diverse. Seventy-six percent of the minority population lives in the suburbs.”
•”The regional variation in home values between suburbs and cities is substantial. On average, the median home value in urban areas is $365,000 compared to $305,000 in suburban areas. … But in the Heartland (middle section of the country) home values in the suburbs are significantly higher than those in urban areas.”
[Keep reading. . .]
Photo by La Citta Vita (Suburbs, Virginia Uploaded by AlbertHerring) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Big cities seem to get most of the attention. People debate their merits compared with small towns and the rural life. Suburbs don’t get the same respect.
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