Noah Smith
· Noahpinion
· July 13, 2026 at 12:38
· ⏱ 16 min read
| Read on Substack ↗
Summary
Noah Smith argues that American suburbs are unfairly maligned by urbanists, presenting evidence that suburbs offer shorter commutes, lower loneliness scores, and are preferred by families raising children. The article has no market-relevant claims or trade recommendations; it is a cultural and urban-planning essay.
•Americans have among the shortest commutes in the developed world, partly because jobs are also dispersed (polycentric metro areas) and cars are faster than public transit.
•Four academic studies cited show suburbanites report lower or similar loneliness levels compared to urban dwellers, and no systematic link between built environment and loneliness.
•Millennials are leading a new suburbanization trend, moving to far-out suburbs, driven both by high urban rents and by the advantages of suburbs for raising children (space, yards, cars for errands).
•Albouy and Faberman (2025) find high-skilled workers move to lower-amenity areas after having their first child, supporting the life-cycle shift from city to suburb.
•Suburbs have real tradeoffs: expensive maintenance, less walking (worse health), and less variety in retail/restaurants.
•The author advocates for 'gentle density' improvements in suburbs (rowhouses, bike lanes, commuter rail) rather than forcing everyone into dense urban cores.