FOR PEOPLE

(3.1-4.0) (4.1-5.0) (5.1-& Over)
Housing Affordability Category: Median Multiple
Derived from Census Bureau and Demographia.
5 2010
of young, middle-income families with
can paycheck Figure 3
children. To measure the impact of
density and urban form, we use the City
Sector model, originally developed by
groundbreaking research published by
David L. A. Gordon and Mark Janzen at
Queen's University in Kingston Ontario. 20
The City Sector Model classifies
all metropolitan zip code areas on a
continuum from the dense urban cores
that preceded World War II, through older
and newer suburban areas and exurban
areas outside the continuous urbanization.
The City Sector Model gives a much more
-12 2005-06 accurate representation 2010-09 2015-06 of urban core
versus suburban development because
many core cities include substantial areas
of suburban development. The criteria for
classification can be seen in the footnote. 21
Overall, the highest density major
metropolitan areas have far smaller
percentages of school age children. In
the dense, urban core Central Business
Districts (CBDs), the percentage of five
to fourteen year-olds is less than one-half
that of less dense, more peripheral areas.
Generally speaking, families are most
prevalent in newer suburbs and exurbs,
those built largely since the 1970s, than
in older suburbs, while the inner core
areas, some dating from the late 19th and
early 20th Century, have the lowest.
The highest percentage of US
2014
women over age 40 without children
can be found in expensive and dense
Washington, DC: a remarkable 70
percent. In Manhattan, singles comprise
half of all households. 22 In some central
neighborhoods of major metropolitan
areas such as New York and Seattle, less
than 10 percent of the population is
made up of children under 18. According
to Census figures, in 2011, children
ge, August
-ever
Figure 6
Construction Cost by House Type
San Francisco Bay Area
Compared to Detached (5)
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Detached
(5 per Acre)
Detached
(15)
Townhome Townhome/
(20) Condo (26)
Midrise
(50 Low)
Midrise
(50 High)
Figure between 7ages 5 and 14 constituted about
7 percent in urban core CBDs across the
country, less than half the level seen in
52 Major Metropolitan Areas: 2010
newer suburbs and exurbs. 23
16% Across the country, mandates to 15.0%
14.2%
densify 14% residential neighborhoods 13% and
suburbs 12% often meet 11.6% great opposition
in areas dominated by families. In a
10%
reaction to regional draconian regulations
mandating 8% densification, one Bay Area
blogger 6% observed 5.3% that “… suburb-hating is
anti-child,” 4% because it seeks to undermine
neighborhoods with children. 24
2%
Nonetheless, there are those who,
like 0% real estate magnate Sam Zell, suggest
Urban Core: Urban Core:
CBD Inner Ring
that the future belongs to ever smaller
units, including Small 300 Areas square (Zip foot Code “microunits.”
25 But these residences are aimed
Analysis Zones)
at single professionals; it is inconceivable
for middle or even working-class families
to inhabit such spaces. 26 Overall, people,
particularly families, do not appear to be
craving higher density.
Indeed, the American household
preference for low density housing could
not be more evident. According to the
latest American Community Survey data,
Midrise
(100)
Construction Cost/Square Foot
Compared to Detached (5 per Acre)
Derived from FBI Statistics: 2013, Major metropolitan areas (average)
Age 5-14 Population % by Urban Sector
13.5%
Early Suburb Later Suburb Exurb OVERALL
Midrise
(100)
BEST CITIES FOR PEOPLE 13