The time has finally come, some writers are predicting, when Americans will finally repent. They’ll move back to the urban core. They will ride more bicycles, have smaller homes and tinier fridges and rediscover the joys of dense community — and maybe even superior beer.
America will, in short, finally begin to look a little more like Amsterdam.
Well, Amsterdam is a wonderful city, but Americans never seem to want to live there. And even now, in this moment of chastening pain, they don’t seem to want the Dutch option.
- David Brooks
According to David Brooks, it appears that Americans are continuing to chase the same dream they’ve been chasing for decades. And that does not involve taking a page from the European lifestyle. According to the recent opinion article written by David Brooks in the New York Times, 52 % of city dwellers rate their community as excellent compared with 68% of suburban dwellers suggesting that despite the shift of young professionals to head to the center of the cities, Americans are still more content in the suburbs.
However, one fact that may not be as surprising is the general trend for Americans to want to move west. Researchers at the Pew Research Center found that seven out of ten of the cities Americans most want to move to are still out in the west: Denver, San Diego, Seattle, San Francisco, Phoenix, Portland and Sacramento. The other three (San Antonio, Tampa and Orlando) are in the south. Just a quick scan of these urban centers can reveal the suburban trend discussed in the first chapter. Of all the cities, only San Francisco is very un-suburban.
Finally, David touches on the observation that the most popular urban centers are the ones that offer the greatest access to the outdoor life. Seven of the top ten cities mentioned above are close to the mountains and likely offer exceptional hiking. Another five are beside or very close to the ocean.
You can find the full opinion article here. Oh, and check out the section on whether Americans would rather live in a community by a McDonalds or Starbucks. The answer may surprise you.
