This reminds me of those lists, like the Places Rated Almanac (which might be more sophisticated now than it was years ago), where a list of criteria demonstrates that a particular place (in this case the suburbs) is inferior to other places. One can tick off a set of criteria and come up with a score or this case a blog post demonstrating why a place is better than another.<p>I currently live is the suburbs of a city that wouldn&#x27;t score high on these kinds of lists, no balanced seasons--practically no winter and no easy access to winter sports, no major league sports team, bad traffic, no major museums, limited cultural opportunities compared to other big cities, escalating real estate prices. These were actual categories in the Places Rated Almanac that would make my city seem to be undesirable.<p>The problem with this approach and that of the blog &quot;Why Suburbia Sucks&quot; is that everyone weighs the costs and benefits differently. A more realistic title for the blog might be &quot;Why Suburbia Sucks for Me, Right Now&quot;. (Or to better suit it&#x27;s tone, &quot;Why Suburbia Sucks for Me and Why You Should Feel It Sucks Too.) Is there a more objective or comprehensive way to assess Suburbia (or the quality of life in a particular city)?<p>The answer is yes, simply watch what people do. I live in Austin, the fastest growing city in the US this year according to Forbes and it has been fast growing for many years. Why would people move here when it is so hot, has no major league sports teams, requires a long trip to go skiing or to the beach,  and has bad traffic? People move here for a variety of reasons and they keep moving here faster than they move away. Likewise, the suburbs have an appeal that overcomes their disadvantages for other people. Other posters here have already explained some of the important factors that make people want to live in the suburbs.<p>My problem with the original blog post is that it seems to express a desire to judge and decide what is best for others. Smart people often feel that if only they had there hands on the steering wheel then the world would be a better place. (Maybe they could make it a better place but maybe not.)