Why Density Is in Demand

BIGGER PICTURE | "Most Americans" prefer sprawl, and have lots to choose from; those who want density don't have choices

Surveys often show that a majority of Americans prefer to live in sprawling, less walkable communities. So why are housing markets so tight in denser, more walkable communities?

National Association of Realtors, 2020 survey. www.nar.realtor/reports/nar-community-and-transportation-...

This slide, reporting on results from a 2020 poll conducted for the National Association of Realtors, reveals why. The survey asked respondents whether they preferred a detached home in a conventional suburban neighborhood vs. an attached home in a walkable neighborhood. Almost half of respondents preferred either type of house, and indeed the number preferring the conventional neighborhood slightly exceeded the number preferring the walkable neighborhood. But preferences alone do not move markets -- actions do. The majority of people (about 2/3) are "matched"; they already live in the kind of house and neighborhood that they prefer. Builders and planners don't need to do anything more for them.

The action is in the mismatch: people who would rather live somewhere else.