US growth of distant suburbs falls to historic low

[McBane]

US growth of distant suburbs falls to historic low

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stung by high gasoline costs, outlying suburbs that sprouted in the heady 2000s are now seeing their growth fizzle to historic lows, halting American city dwellers' decades-long exodus to sprawling homes in distant towns.

New census estimates as of July 2011 highlight a shift in population trends following an extended housing bust and renewed spike in oil prices. Two years after the recession technically ended, and despite faint signs of a rebound, Americans again are shunning moves at record levels and staying put in big cities.

That is posing longer-term consequences for residential "exurbs" on the edge of metropolitan areas.

http://news.yahoo.com/us-growth-dist...040346997.html

[ChiSoxRox]

How I would love to see a cultural shift back to the cities/inner suburbs on a scale of this magnitude.

[Vlajos]

That's great news! Thanks for sharing.

[min-chi-cbus]

Here's what I don't understand:

They are redefining MSA's/CSA's to be ENORMOUS so areas like San Antonio/Austin; Cincinnati/Dayton, or Chicago/Milwaukee can be one giant conglomerate -- supposedly to best represent the "true" size of the city/region -- while at the same time, people are spreading out less and less and instead moving back into the core.

So even though the current migration pattern of Americans is inwards to the core, we are measuring cities and metro areas on an even sprawlier scale? I don't get it!

[Xelebes]

It's called the XSSA: The Extended Commuter Statistical Area.

All you need is 1% of a jurisdiction to commute to the metropolis for it to be counted.

Therefore Edmonton's XSSA extends to Okotoks and Slave Lake; Jasper and Lloydminster; Grande Prairie and Drumheller; and Canmore and Fort McKay.

[Cirrus]

[TarHeelJ]

I don't know that the exurbs ever actually "boomed" like the actual suburbs did. They grew, but exurbs are usually so far away from the benefits of the city that they don't attract the hoards of people that suburbs attract. Around the cities that I'm familiar with, the exurbs have mostly remained small but prosperous towns.

[Wentworth]

Their report shows a decline in the growth of suburbs as well, and an increase in the growth of urban and high-density suburbs:

[BnaBreaker]

In thirty years or so I think many US cities are going to be similar to metropolises in developing nations, in that the cores will be the thriving part of the region and the slums will be mostly on the outskirts, which really makes more sense when you think about it.

[miketoronto]

Don't get too excited. I am reading a book about the growth of American suburbia, and the book has a historic look at this. And everytime there is an economic downturn, the suburbs temporary stop growing as fast in the outer reaches. But once the economy comes back, the outer parts start growing fast again.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by miketoronto

Don't get too excited. I am reading a book about the growth of American suburbia, and the book has a historic look at this. And everytime there is an economic downturn, the suburbs temporary stop growing as fast in the outer reaches. But once the economy comes back, the outer parts start growing fast again.

^ Ding ding ding!

I agree. We have revisited this concept over and over, and as I grow wiser I come to realize that the dream of "back to the city" will probably never come true. Most people in the US just prefer low-density, suburban life. And as long as we are in a democratic society where we can live where we choose, suburbs will continue to be built to accommodate that demand.

Lets not make too much of all of this.

[1Boston]

Idk, I think the newest generation, in certain areas, prefers city life over suburbia. I'm basing this off of myself and my friends, and classmates, and a lot of us say we will live in some city when we are older. I think we could see a bigger increase in city populations in the next 10-20years. Personally, i know im going to live in a city if i can, i hate the suburbs.