I spent my middle and high school years in Athens, GA. It would not ordinarily be seen as a target for sprawl-bashing, given its ostensibly compact nature. And it&#x27;s true, the downtown and campus are fused into something fairly livable.<p>However, as usual, 90% of the population doesn&#x27;t live in that tiny core, but instead in the same kind of low-density layout one can find anywhere in America. While I haven&#x27;t been to Ann Arbor since grade six or so, my recollection is that it&#x27;s similar; wonderful UMich campus, nice downtown, but most of the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area? Same old automobile folk traditions. Am I misremembering?<p>Re: comparing density --<p>Density is certainly not the only variable. In my article, I made the point about how proximity&#x2F;adjacency != walking accessibility. That seems relevant, too. It&#x27;s probably quite possible to build a place with a decently high density where a car is still required to go anywhere, or a relatively low-density but profoundly pedestrian-friendly hamlet.