This doesn’t work as much on most of the west coast but any city which was big a century ago probably has nice railway suburbs which are walkable because they were built before the one person, one car assumption became the foundation of American urban design.
I think areas like that will see an uptick in interest from people who weren’t keen on an hour+ daily commute into a major city but are far more willing to consider it if you’re talking a few times a month.
Before we bought we looked around in a few cities and were really struck by the quality of life difference it makes when you drive occasionally but not by necessity. Even the younger residents in newer, pricier suburbs tend to pack on weight and health problems unless they’re absolutely rigorous about going to the gym and have the schedule to support it. The white-flight suburbs built in the decades after Brown v. Board are often actively hostile to a healthy lifestyle (no sidewalks, winding roads, transit happens in other zip codes).
I think areas like that will see an uptick in interest from people who weren’t keen on an hour+ daily commute into a major city but are far more willing to consider it if you’re talking a few times a month.
Before we bought we looked around in a few cities and were really struck by the quality of life difference it makes when you drive occasionally but not by necessity. Even the younger residents in newer, pricier suburbs tend to pack on weight and health problems unless they’re absolutely rigorous about going to the gym and have the schedule to support it. The white-flight suburbs built in the decades after Brown v. Board are often actively hostile to a healthy lifestyle (no sidewalks, winding roads, transit happens in other zip codes).