Exurb

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The expression "exurb" (for "extra-urban") was coined in the 1950s, by Auguste Comte Spectorsky in his book "The Exurbanites", to describe the ring of prosperous rural communities beyond the suburbs that, due to availability via the new high-speed limited-access highways, were becoming dormitory communities for an urban area.

Exurbs are not unique to the United States. They are also found in other land-rich developed countries, notably Canada. Reasons for exurb growth vary. In the 1970s, rampant crime and urban decay in U.S. cities was the primary 'push force', whereas exurb growth has continued in the 2000s even as most U.S. cities experience plummeting crime and urban revitalization. However, house prices have skyrocketed, so middle-class people who want a large yard or farm are pushed beyond suburban counties.

Exurbs vary in wealth and education level. Exurb areas typically have lower college education levels than closer in suburbs, but still have average incomes much higher than nearby rural counties. Depending on local circumstances, some exurbs (like those in the Inland Empire east of Los Angeles) have higher poverty levels than suburbs nearer the city.

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[edit] Then and now

Commuters from early exurbs, such as the end of Philadelphia's Main Line and Upper Westchester County, New York, reached the city center via commuter rail and parkway systems.

Today's exurbs are comprised of small neighborhoods in otherwise bucolic areas, towns, and (comparatively) small cities. Some lie in the outer suburbs of an urbanized area, but a few miles of rural, wooded, or agricultural land separates many exurbs from the suburbs. Exurbs that originated independently of the major city to which many residents commute may feature some cultural institutions or universities of their own. Others, by contrast, consist almost exclusively of commuters and lack the historical and cultural traditions of more established cities.

Although not on the list of exurbs below, some communities that lie outside the city proper of a metropolitan area could also be considered exurbs, whereas those inside are often known as suburbs. Many suburbs within the metropolitan city proper enjoyed their greatest growth in the post World War II period and slowed down subsequently; extensive development is now (since the 1990s) occurring outside of metro. There have also been significant growth differences between inside and outside metro boundaries; many developments typical of exurbs such as big box retailers lie just on the outside. This could be due to suburbs being constrained by pro-urban inner-city politics while communities outside have far fewer restrictions on development.

[edit] Planning

Many environmentalists, architects, and urban planners consider exurbs to be manifestations of poor or distorted planning. Extremely low densities - often featuring large lots and "McMansions" - create heavy car dependency (a very deliberate design choice). This also makes the construction of municipal infrastructure and deployment of services unusually costly and inefficient. Such communities typically include big box stores and large shopping malls, but lack amenities such as parks and cultural institutions. Nevertheless, relatively cheap land and low taxes fuel rapid economic and population growth in many exurbs. Middle class families with children are attracted to the ample space, low costs and low crime rates found in these areas.

"They begin as embryonic subdivisions of a few hundred homes at the far edge of beyond, surrounded by scrub. Then, they grow - first gradually, but soon with explosive force - attracting stores, creating jobs and struggling to keep pace with the need for more schools, more roads, more everything. And eventually, when no more land is available and home prices have skyrocketed, the whole cycle starts again, another 15 minutes down the turnpike." [1]

[edit] On Paradise Drive

In his book On Paradise Drive, conservative writer David Brooks commented on the massive growth of American exurbs in the 1990s and early 2000s, and noted that these communities are now dependent on industries contained in office parks in the suburbs rather than in the city center, producing (and attracting) populations with no connection to urban city life. Brooks attributes the victory of George W. Bush in the 2004 election to votes from exurbs and states his belief that the Democratic Party failed to connect with voters in exurbs.

[edit] Examples of exurbs

Special note here is that Middlesex County, Connecticut is in the NYC Metropolitan Area while Middlesex County, Massachusetts is in Greater Boston. Also, Lehigh and Northampton Counties, Pennsylvania are in between the Philadelphia metropolitan area and the NYC metropolitan area and served by the city of Allentown. Additionally, in New Jersey, Mercer County, Ocean County, Monmouth County are in both the Philadelphia and NYC areas. Mercer County is also served by its primary city, the state capital of Trenton.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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