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Old 03-09-2011, 09:03 AM
 
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Why do studies show that people in the suburbs are happier than those in cities?
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Old 03-09-2011, 10:07 AM
 
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Because more woud move if they could ahieve it really. The cities became popualtted because of survival in jobs ;not by actauly wanting to, Now days inducxtry can get transportation and energy outside central sities so they also move because of cost and to where the workers with skills are.It started after WWII with workewrsw while those inpoverty moved to city for more benfits at same time from industrial tax base.
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Old 03-09-2011, 10:19 AM
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Location: Western Massachusetts
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Quote:
Originally Posted by knowledgeiskey View Post
Why do studies show that people in the suburbs are happier than those in cities?
Do they control for demographics?
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Old 03-09-2011, 10:21 AM
 
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And where are these studies? Links? References? Magazine articles?
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Old 03-09-2011, 11:28 AM
 
Location: Sinking in the Great Salt Lake
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I did my own personal study, first living in downtown SLC, then exurbia (30 miles from downtown) and now inner suburbia (12 miles from downtown).

I have conclusively found I am happier now in the middle, not too far away but far enough to escape the negative aspects of the center.
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Old 03-09-2011, 12:31 PM
 
Location: Philaburbia
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I'd venture to say there are as many opinions about this as there are people. So .... It depends?

When I lived in Cleveland and Cincinnati, I was much happier living in the city. Now that I've moved to Philadelphia, I'm happier living outside the city. Why? Higher income taxes, higher cost of living, too many people crammed too close together.
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Old 03-09-2011, 12:45 PM
 
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Well then, I've done my own personal study, too, and have found that I'm much happier in the city! Granted, I wouldn't be happy in just any city or in just any city neighborhood, and I know that there are some suburban neighborhoods that would also make me happy.

And for those who say people would leave the city if they could, plenty would also move in if THEY could; when we lived in San Francisco, for example, there were tons of people who felt forced out the suburbs because they couldn't afford to raise a family in the city. They preferred to live in the city, but sometimes economics don't make that feasible.
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Old 03-09-2011, 03:41 PM
 
Location: Florida
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I have lived in both rural CT and in midtown Manhattan. I am now living in suburban CT. I have to say, life is the best in the suburbs. It's quiet, no one bothers me. Less traffic, stress, and life is just easier in general, because I have a car and can transport goods in the trunk of my car insted of carrying everything on the streets walking. City life definitely has its advantages, however. But I think the advantages of suburban life far outwweigh those of city life. I could live in any environment and be happy, but my preference is for suburban.
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Old 03-09-2011, 05:37 PM
 
Location: Bellingham, WA
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It seems like happiness would almost completely depend on the individual. Some people are simply going to be happier living in the suburbs, others will be happier living in the city. Personally, as long as I have some form of public transit and walkable/bikeable access to all of my needs, I wouldn't care if I were living in suburbs, the middle of a big city, or some medium sized town in between. Actually my happiness would be much more dependent on the climate, I think.
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Old 03-09-2011, 07:06 PM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chango View Post
I did my own personal study, first living in downtown SLC, then exurbia (30 miles from downtown) and now inner suburbia (12 miles from downtown).

I have conclusively found I am happier now in the middle, not too far away but far enough to escape the negative aspects of the center.
Well, that is what counts, your own personal opinion.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lamplight View Post
It seems like happiness would almost completely depend on the individual. Some people are simply going to be happier living in the suburbs, others will be happier living in the city. Personally, as long as I have some form of public transit and walkable/bikeable access to all of my needs, I wouldn't care if I were living in suburbs, the middle of a big city, or some medium sized town in between. Actually my happiness would be much more dependent on the climate, I think.
Abraham Lincoln once said "people are about as happy as they want to be". He had a point. Frankly, I find my personal quality of life much better in the suburban city where I live than it was in the city (Denver/Pittsburgh).
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