So short form is a University of Utah study found Urban sprawl is bad for income mobility. There’s one I didn’t see coming.
Basically, it seems sprawl reduces access to jobs and plays some role in segregation by various factors None of this is actually shocking (especially when you consider lousy transport in some sprawl), but is a really interesting reminder of how location seriously affects life and job prospects.
I can definitely say in Silicon Valley I see the advantage of density – more job prospects for people, better contacts, more chances to learn, etc. It’s paid off for a lot of people I know.
It’s also a great reminder to take a look at where you live, work, and may want to move to. Sprawl was always a warning to me – I was worried about commuting and about an overheated home economy in the past. Now it looks like there’s much more to be concerned about.
- Steve