Historically the one-year data may be an aberration as suburbs have outgrown cities for every decade since the 1920s. It may be as much a consequence of the recession and housing bust as a preference for urban living, but builders are responding.
Conor Dougherty and Robbie Whelan report on census data released June 28 covering the year July 2010 to July 2011.
"According to Census data, in 27 of the nation's 51 largest metropolitan areas, city centers grew faster than suburbs between . By contrast, from 2000 to 2010 only five metro areas saw their cores grow faster than the surrounding suburbs", said William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution.
The turnaround, if only temporary, is apparent in Chicago.
"That city grew by 8,800 residents, or about 0.3%, from July 2010 to July 2011, compared with an average annual loss of 20,000 people between 2000 and 2010. "I suspect the modest growth of the urban cores is a short-term phenomenon," Kenneth Johnson, senior demographer at the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire, said.
"Home builders are betting that there is a longer-term shift under way. Three of the largest publicly traded U.S. home-building companies: Toll Brothers Inc., Lennar Corp. and Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. have in recent years built mid-rise and high-rise condominium towers in urban areas looking to capitalize on consumers' rising distaste for long commute times and interest in housing that is closer to cities' cultural and job centers."
FULL STORY: Cities Outpace Suburbs in Growth
Understanding Cities Through Their Life Cycles
Cities go through ups and downs over time, and where a city is in its longer history can reveal the reasons behind population changes.
Black Flight From Gun Violence: Chicago's Loss Is Suburbia's Gain
Middle class African-Americans are fleeing Chicago due to crime, not due to being priced out, as is common elsewhere. "On average more than 10,000 African-Americans leave the city every," reports Brandis Friedman of WTTW for the PBS NewsHour.
Leaving Chicago
Why are folks fleeing from the city and the state in record numbers? Is domestic migration to blame for the Chicago region's population loss last year of over 6,000 and the state's loss of over 22,000 people?
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service