Why Are Young Adults Returning to the City?

Much has been said about Millennials — the generation born from 1980 through the late 1990s, sometimes called Gen Y and Echo Boomers — choosing downtown living. Is it in rebellion to their suburban upbringing, or something more?

1 minute read

August 12, 2013, 8:00 AM PDT

By newurban


"Millennials are the children of the Baby Boomers — America’s first suburban generation. When Boomers came of age, a few revitalized urban places like SoHo — but for the most part they embraced the suburban lifestyle. Why aren’t Millennials doing the same? One possibility is rebellion — but I think it’s more than that," says Robert Steuteville.

"By the 1980s and 1990s, when the Boomers were raising the Millennials, the suburbs had lost most vestiges of traditional community that they retained in the 1950s. According to a market study for the reviving downtown of Wichita, Kansas:

Younger singles and couples comprise 71 percent of the market for new dwelling units within the Downtown Study Area,” wrote Zimmerman-Volk Associates, the authors. “This generation—the Millennials—is the first to have been largely raised in the post-’70s world of the cul-de-sac as neighborhood, the mall as village center, and the driver’s license as a necessity of life. In far greater numbers than predecessor generations, Millennials are moving to downtown and urban neighborhoods.”

Friday, August 9, 2013 in Better! Cities & Towns

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of park ranger in green jacket and khaki hat looking out at Bryce Canyon National Park red rock formations.

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.

February 18, 2025 - National Parks Traveler

Paved walking path next to canal in The Woodlands, Texas with office buildings in background.

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.

February 19, 2025 - Greg Flisram

Small rural USPS post office in manufactured one-story grey building with American flag in front.

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.

February 12, 2025 - Cowboy State Daily

Chicago

Test News Post 1

This is a summary

April 8 - 2TheAdvocate.com

test alt text

Test News Headline 46

Test for the image on the front page.

March 5 - Cleantech blog

Military humvee driving through gate at Fort Indiantown Gap Natl Guard training center in Pennsylvania surrounded by winter trees and dead leaves.

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.

February 24 - Esri Blog