Oh, but it does exist. Inner ring suburbs in most major northeastern cities fit the bill. I live in a detached house with a nice backyard, built in ~1910. I can

Oh, but it does exist. Inner ring suburbs in most major northeastern cities fit the bill. I live in a detached house with a nice backyard, built in ~1910. I can walk to my kid's school, the grocery store, bars, gourmet restaurants, shopping, arts, and a metro stop that runs 24/7 for a 15 minute trip into the center of a major city. I can get to the center faster than people living in the city itself. I work at home, so I rarely drive. When I worked in aforementioned city, I would commute by metro to my office. I probably drive less than 150 miles a month, mostly on long business trips. Places like this exist, but they are hard to find and often more expensive for a smaller house. It's the perfect mix of urban and suburban for me.