Of course, the way Trulia tracks the suburban/urban divide is rather nontraditional, by population density rather than location within a particular city limit.
When the issue is looked at through this lens, it really becomes a referendum on density more than anything else.
Here’s what Jed Kolko, chief economist for Trulia, wrote in an email the other day:
Are cities making a comeback? No. Even after the housing bust, Americans continue to move to the suburbs. This morning we posted a report based on Postal Service data – which are current, detailed, and actual counts rather than estimates — showing that suburban neighborhoods grew twice as fast as urban neighborhoods in the past year.
Still, I think is a more complicated picture than that. Yes, the suburbs may still be king, but many suburbanites also want to be near the amenities of a downtown, even if it’s just the shops and restaurants in Hingham or Needham center. Walkability is king – I see no nostalgia for wood paneled station wagons and isolated subdivisions where you have to drive to get anywhere.
So are the suburbs truly king and all the talk about downtown revivals just more hot air? Where would you rather live? Are you dreaming of a suburban escape – of a big lawn and tree-lined streets? Or is downtown living more your thing?