I don't think it's housing that's driving families to the suburbs. A normal 2 or 3 bedroom apartment shared by roommates could just as well house a family. Imh

I don't think it's housing that's driving families to the suburbs. A normal 2 or 3 bedroom apartment shared by roommates could just as well house a family. Imho it's more about safety, schools and amenities. American inner cities have a reputation of being unsafe, both in terms of road safety as well as violent crime. With schools being locally funded many families choose to move to less diverse and more affluent suburbs for the school district. Lastly, many places in inner cities don't have parks and playgrounds within walking distance and thus no proper replacement for the suburban backyard.