I grew up in a rural town (originally zoned for agriculture) where slowly over the next three decades became a town where rich doctors, lawyers, and accountants

I grew up in a rural town (originally zoned for agriculture) where slowly over the next three decades became a town where rich doctors, lawyers, and accountants live now. I always get a kick seeing a certain individual sell a plot of farm land to build condos that now sell for $600k each next to a pond where I would fish as a kid. My ancestral home costs $80,000 and the land alone today is worth nearly a million dollars. Florida is definitely a case study where while zoning is relaxed, planning has little to zero forethought. Growing up during this transition sucked. My family was poor so I didn't get a car until I was 21; there were also no sidewalks to walk anywhere, nearest bus stop was 3 miles from my home. It blew, I had to rely on my parents to do anything. There was no independence for me. If I wanted to go to a friends house that was 2 miles away, I'd have to walk across 3 difference highways and busy roads; highly dangerous for a 12 year old. I remember visiting a cousin that lived Cambridge, MA and I was so jealous that she was able to do what she wanted without a car. She was 14 and had access to nearly the entire Cambridge/Boston/Quincy area by virtue of just walking. Bonus? My Aunt and Uncle had a SFH in Cambridge. It is possible to develop areas like this. It's not a switch you turn on or off, but we purposely limit these areas to the affluent: https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2021/11/3/our-self-imposed-scarcity-of-nice-places https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2021/11/3/our-self-impos... Now nearly 15 years later, I can live a similar lifestyle my cousin did but only because I have a well paying tech job. edit: after reading some other replies you made, I'm not trying to make an either or situation but simply give people a choice on where to live. Walkable communities are extremely popular in the US, it's where land value is extremely high and homes are desirable. It's not just limited to NYC or Chicago or Boston, there are walkable towns in Minnesota (Milwaukee Avenue, Minneapolis) and even Florida (Seaside); if there were more walkable cities in the US I would bet my life's labor that they would become populated easily.