Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Suburbia

Stop Fretting About Whether Millennials Will Stay in the City

More than 9,000 babies have been born in each of the last five years in Washington, DC -- but will their families stay in the city as these kids grow up? A recent study by the real estate company Trulia found that there was just one zip code in DC's city limits where backpacks outnumbered strollers. Wealthy, west-of-the-park Chevy Chase has more kids in the 5-9 age group than 0-4. Every other part of the city has more babies and toddlers than school-age kids.

Does your city need more of these? Photo: ##http://www.worldvisionusprograms.org/school_supplies_help_children_chicago.php##World Vision##

This trend is repeated in big cities around the country, according to Trulia. Young parents are happy enough to stay in the city with a little rugrat around -- but once those rugrats need to go to school, those parents often start house-hunting in suburban school districts.

We've had a vibrant discussion here on Streetsblog recently about whether parents will really find what they're looking for by leaving the city -- and whether this trend will continue.

Improving urban schools is a challenge of huge national significance, especially for parents who don't have the option of moving away. But Shane Phillips of the Better Institutions blog points out that it might not have much influence on cities' ability to maintain recent population gains.

Phillips brings a useful perspective when he reminds readers that "Millennials aren't the last generation in America." There's no sign that the declining interest in driving is going to reverse. If some parents move to suburbs, young people will still continue to migrate into cities.

But perhaps more importantly, Phillips writes, when Millennials move to the suburbs -- as undoubtedly some will -- they'll demand better suburbs than the ones they grew up in. They'll want the urban amenities and transportation options they got used to in the cities. That could put them on the front lines of retrofitting suburbia into a less car-dependent environment.

Snap a picture of city living with kids for the chance to win fabulous prizes! Details about the Streetsblog/Alliance for Biking & Walking Back-to-School photo contest here

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Monday’s Headlines Are Dragging Their Feet

The Trump administration claims the Biden administration left them with a backlog — but they've actually been far slower at getting transportation money to states than their predecessors, a new analysis finds.

July 14, 2025

These U.S. Communities’ So-Called ‘Complete Streets’ Policies Don’t Even Deserve the Name

Any city can call itself a "Complete Streets" champion. But not all of them are walking the walk — and if they don't, a top organization says they'll no longer give them a platform on its esteemed "best of" ranking.

July 14, 2025

Communities Rally To Reclaim Streets From ICE Terror

"This is an attack on Los Angeles. This is an attack on California. On all of us."

July 11, 2025

Friday Video: The London Neighborhood Where Bikes Outnumber Cars

...and how they got to that impressive milestone.

July 11, 2025

Friday’s Headlines Battle Galactus

Like the Marvel supervillain, U.S. interstate highway system seems to eat up everything in his path. A new book explores how to stop it.

July 11, 2025

New Report Shows Pedestrian Fatalities Drop — But Experts Say Not Enough

The Governors Highway Safety Association report showed a 4 percent drop in the number of pedestrian deaths last year, putting a slow on a dangerous trend — but advocates say the drop isn't nearly big enough.

July 11, 2025
See all posts