The US doesn&#x27;t have a free market in housing.  There&#x27;s lots of stupid zoning and covenants.<p>Yes, some people like suburban sprawl and buy it, but the alternatives are pretty much illegal in most places.  See eg <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;cityobservatory.org&#x2F;my_illegal_neighborhood&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;cityobservatory.org&#x2F;my_illegal_neighborhood&#x2F;</a> (The neighourhood featured there is still too sprawly for my tastes, but already illegally dense.)