A city is, of course, more than the kinds of things that are taken to appeal to single young people today (though studies show that the young are increasingly b

A city is, of course, more than the kinds of things that are taken to appeal to single young people today (though studies show that the young are increasingly becoming socially isolated). Cities are more compact than suburbs. Kids are entirely dependent on their parents and adults to drive them everywhere, so in many poorly planned suburbs and bedroom communities, they're generally stuck at home. Similarly, the elderly can become isolated from family and friends that are scattered about with no easy way to visit them, or kept from participating in the social life of their town because either there is no social life due to hostile urban planning, or because they cannot get there as driving has become more difficult with age. The benefit of living in walkable cities and towns with good public transportation is especially obvious for these age groups.