Why the Suburbs Are Better Than the City. Wha? Oh, Really?

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The suburbs often get blasted around here, and for good reason. The big-box stores, the cookie cutter houses, the felling of trees and the sullying of rivers in the name of growth -- it's all pretty ugly. I should know, I live in the suburbs. Allen, to be precise. Sorry, can't help it.

But maybe the suburbs ain't so bad. According to a new study, people who live in the suburbs may actually have a better social life than those who live in the city. The study, conducted by two economists, found that Americans who live in lower density neighborhoods (i.e. the suburbs) have more friends, are more likely to spend time with their neighbors and are more likely to belong to local clubs than their city dwelling brethren, according to a recent Atlantic piece on the study.

"The study offers several explanations," the Atlantic writes. "Cities offer more distractions, which may make neighborliness less important to one's social life; overcrowding may lead people to 'draw inward'; and high urban crime rates may erode trust among neighbors."

Yeah, so there. Take that, Dallas. --Jesse Hyde