> I assume because that's what people want? Yes and no: Given the choice, people will prefer a single-family home with a large garden, to the same home without

> I assume because that's what people want? Yes and no: Given the choice, people will prefer a single-family home with a large garden, to the same home without a garden, or a smaller apartment. But rephrase it and the answer changes: People prefer to life in (nice) apartments if others do so as well, and the resulting increase in density cuts a 60min car commute into 15min on a bike, or even 30 in public transportation. In any case, I would consider mixed zoning more important than density. It's not just metropolitan city centres that provide higher quality of life than the suburbs. Another winning model is that of the classic "Small Town USA". It's perfectly possible to have suburban-style homes with gardens clustered around a city centre providing everything you need in a typical week, plus schools/medical care/sports/you kids' friends all within a radius of about 3 miles, making it easily accessible by bike, and even on foot.