WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

New study links sprawl to lower socioeconomic mobility

 In recent years sprawl – the low-density development that boomed in America during the 1990s and 2000s – has been linked to a number of societal problems, from obesity to congestion. However, a new report from Smart Growth America and University of Utah’s Metropolitan Urban Center shows that it may have an even more problematic effect: lowering socioeconomic mobility.

In comparing low-density and high-density metropolitan areas around the country, the researchers found a clear correlation between sprawl and economic stagnation. A child raised in the bottom 20 percent of the income scale was significantly more likely to reach the top 20 percent by age 30 if they were raised in a more dense region.

The report suggests that the American Dream of a big lawn, a white picket fence and a daily commute into the city may actually be contributing to the income inequality problem in our country.

None of Washington’s metropolitan areas ranked among the top ten most or least dense regions. New York City and San Francisco were the most compact, while Atlanta and Hickory, NC were the most sprawling.