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The End of the Suburbs: Where the American Dream Is Moving Paperback – June 24, 2014

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“The government in the past created one American Dream at the expense of almost all others: the dream of a house, a lawn, a picket fence, two children, and a car. But there is no single American Dream anymore.”

For nearly 70 years, the suburbs were as American as apple pie. As the middle class ballooned and single-family homes and cars became more affordable, we flocked to pre-fabricated communities in the suburbs, a place where open air and solitude offered a retreat from our dense, polluted cities. Before long, success became synonymous with a private home in a bedroom community complete with a yard, a two-car garage and a commute to the office, and subdivisions quickly blanketed our landscape.

But in recent years things have started to change. An epic housing crisis revealed existing problems with this unique pattern of development, while the steady pull of long-simmering economic, societal and demographic forces has culminated in a Perfect Storm that has led to a profound shift in the way we desire to live.

In The End of the Suburbs journalist Leigh Gallagher traces the rise and fall of American suburbia from the stately railroad suburbs that sprung up outside American cities in the 19th and early 20th centuries to current-day sprawling exurbs where residents spend as much as four hours each day commuting. Along the way she shows why suburbia was unsustainable from the start and explores the hundreds of new, alternative communities that are springing up around the country and promise to reshape our way of life for the better.

Not all suburbs are going to vanish, of course, but Gallagher’s research and reporting show the trends are undeniable. Consider some of the forces at work:

   • The nuclear family is no more: Our marriage and birth rates are steadily declining, while the single-person households are on the rise. Thus, the good schools and family-friendly lifestyle the suburbs promised are increasingly unnecessary.
   • We want out of our cars: As the price of oil continues to rise, the hours long commutes forced on us by sprawl have become unaffordable for many. Meanwhile, today’s younger generation has expressed a perplexing indifference toward cars and driving. Both shifts have fueled demand for denser, pedestrian-friendly communities.
   • Cities are booming. Once abandoned by the wealthy, cities are experiencing a renaissance, especially among younger generations and families with young children. At the same time, suburbs across the country have had to confront never-before-seen rates of poverty and crime.
Blending powerful data with vivid on the ground reporting, Gallagher introduces us to a fascinating cast of characters, including the charismatic leader of the anti-sprawl movement; a mild-mannered Minnesotan who quit his job to convince the world that the suburbs are a financial Ponzi scheme; and the disaffected residents of suburbia, like the teacher whose punishing commute entailed leaving home at 4 a.m. and sleeping under her desk in her classroom.

Along the way, she explains why understanding the shifts taking place is imperative to any discussion about the future of our housing landscape and of our society itself—and why that future will bring us stronger, healthier, happier and more diverse communities for everyone.

Print length

272 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Portfolio
Publication date

June 24, 2014
Dimensions

5.4 x 0.7 x 8.4 inches
ISBN-10

1591846978
ISBN-13

978-1591846970
See all details

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This book is a steel fist in a velvet glove. Beneath Leigh Gallagher's smooth, elegant prose there is a methodical smashing of the suburban paradigm. When all is done, a few shards remain—but only because she is scrupulously fair. This story of rise and ruin avoids the usual storm of statistics—nor is it a tale told with apocalyptic glee. The End of the Suburbs is the most convincing book yet on the lifestyle changes coming to our immediate future.”
— Andres Duany, founding partner of Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company and co-author of Suburban Nation

“The book is loaded with fascinating detail wrapped in a vivid story Gallagher creates from behind the scenes of America’s greatest promotion: the suburbs.”
—Meredith Whitney, author, Fate of the States: The New Geography of American Prosperity and founder, Meredith Whitney Advisory Group

“Leigh Gallagher asks all the right questions and comes up with surprising conclusions in this sweeping discussion of the future of the suburb. Spoiler alert - it's a bleak future for the burbs, but don't panic: Gallagher foretells a new world order where the conveniences of the urban lifestyle rewire our understanding of the American Dream. You'll never look at a cul-de-sac the same way again after you enjoy this book, which is simultaneously entertaining and informative, breezy and analytical.”
—Spencer Rascoff, CEO, Zillow

“The End of the Suburbs is a compelling, insightful must-read on what author Leigh Gallagher calls the ‘slow-burning revolution’ re-mapping the shape of America and its future. Her masterfully-argued case springs to life with both impressive research and empathetic portraits of those seduced and often betrayed by suburbia's promise of a more livable life. Now, where's my moving truck? Oh, right. Stuck in commuter traffic.”
—Linda Keenan, author and resident of Suburgatory

“No one knows how American residential preferences will change in the 21st century. But Leigh Gallagher’s well-researched and provocative The End of the Suburbs makes a persuasive argument that is difficult to refute. Required reading for anyone interested in the future of the United States.”
—Kenneth T. Jackson, professor of history, Columbia University and author of the prize-winning Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of the United States

“I couldn’t put this book down. My readers often ask me, ‘What will happen to suburbia once we’ve all right-sized our homes and communities?’ Leigh Gallagher provides the data that I’ve been looking for, and makes the powerful assertion that our suburbs are permanently changing, not because of the Great Recession, but because of new attitudes about where and how we want to live—which is great news, both for the near term, and for generations to come.”
—Sarah Susanka, the author of The Not So Big House series, and The Not So Big Life: Making Room for What Really Matters.

"The end of Suburbia is timely and important. We should hope it is prophetic, because Leigh Gallagher shows suburbs as we know them are unsafe for our species."
—Eric Klinenberg, Professor of Sociology at New York University and author of Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone

"Through compelling expert interviews, data and trends analysis, Leigh affirms the notion that we've hit 'peak burb.' This book presents a strong case for America's increasing preference for higher density lifestyles and the resulting trend to manage our lives via the information highway, not the paved kind!"
—Scott W. Griffith, former chairman and CEO, Zipcar
"Have you ever wondered whether the Great Recession will halt the process of gentrification in major American cities? Or what will happen to the empty suburban sprawl that is the result of the housing boom and bust? Or how most of us will live in a world where oil is expensive? Leigh Gallagher's crisp, entertaining, and fact-filled new book answers these questions and many more."
—Bethany McLean, coauthor, The Smartest Guys in the Room and All the Devils are Here: The Hidden History of the Financial Crisis

About the Author

Leigh Gallagher is an assistant managing editor at Fortune and a frequent guest on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, among other national television and radio news shows. She lives in New York City.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Portfolio; Reprint edition (June 24, 2014)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1591846978
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1591846970
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.5 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.4 x 0.7 x 8.4 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,795,378 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #171 in Urban & Regional Economics (Books)
- #969 in City Planning & Urban Development
- #1,125 in Urban Planning and Development

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146 ratings

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(Journalist) Leigh Gallagher

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Leigh Gallagher is an assistant managing editor at Fortune and author of The Airbnb Story: How Three Ordinary Guys Disrupted an Industry, Made Billions… and Created Plenty of Controversy (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, February 2017), the first book solely dedicated to the origins, growth and impact of the Silicon Valley hospitality startup. Her first book, The End of the Suburbs: Where the American Dream is Moving (Portfolio, 2013) has been described as “prophetic,” “a first-rate social history” and “a steel fist in a velvet glove.” Leigh is a co-chair of the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit, the host of Fortune Live, and a frequent speaker and on-air commentator, appearing on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, CBS This Morning, CNBC, CNN, and public radio’s Marketplace. Originally from Media, PA, she lives in New York City.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5

146 global ratings

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ChrisInSD

Thought provoking, but purpose driven

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 26, 2013

Verified Purchase

A very interesting book. It prompts the reader to critically think about the different stories that are told--on many occasions I found myself pausing and thinking how the scenario suggested has played out, or may play out, in my own community. I thought a lot about what I, as an American, want from the house I just bought and whether or not Ms. Gallagher had correctly judged my generation's desires from my own perspective. That being said, Ms. Gallagher is a resident of the country's most urban environment and may not necessarily be well placed to pass judgement on the types of communities she has clearly personally rejected as "good."

The most interesting parts were the discussion how we got here and some of the challenges presented for the future by the current housing stock. The introduction to New Urbanism was also very interesting, as I'm familiar with, but could never name these distinct communities.

I think the discussion around future drivers of change in housing demand lacked much support, however. We get a massive amount of detail around the creation of suburban communities thanks to GM-inspired futurism, how they no longer encourage "neighborliness" because there are less children around, and how their street designs discourage human contact while encouraging traffic accidents etc etc. But besides these "negative" innate characteristics of suburban communities (which are likely considered positives when viewed differently by many of the residents of these homes), the author doesn't really suggest more than one reason why everyone will be abandoning them which she strongly suggests will happen.

That one reason? Gas prices.

This seems like an massive over-simplification. There was no discussion of the major technological changes happening to automobiles a this very moment. Gas prices are likely to be much less important to consumers 20 years from now than they are today. Even more critically, the author does not mention the massive technological revolution that has changed how many, many people work. The requirement to actually go and sit in a physical office day in and day out is on the decline in most every industry. Cheap telephony and the rise of the internet enable people to stay in communication wherever they are and fewer and fewer people are making the trek into the office each day. Additionally, many of these offices are no longer in the urban core as companies move closer to where their employees live. This will expand, rather than contract, some people's choices on housing. I was really quite surprised at the omission. Sometimes key data or perspectives appear to be left out because they would conflict with the author's overall message and personal opinion.

Finally, I was disappointed that there was no discussion on what's next for suburbs other than to suggest that farther flung ones will be abandoned and will turn into ghettoes. This is not terribly helpful. If the author believes that the suburbs do not provide the housing stock people of the future will want, I'd love to hear ways people have for transforming the already built environment into something that WILL be what people want. There is limited amounts of land around metropolitan areas and most of it has been developed. And much of it is suburban housing stock. These homes cannot be just discarded if people want to avoid all this driving, as the author suggests they do. It is likewise not possible to simply bulldoze them and re-zone the land. Homes in these communities will remain desirable because of where they are located particularly in pricey coastal cities, even if the community's character is not people would design today. So what can we do to revitalize these places for the future Ms. Gallagher?

I recommend this--it seems to have some missing pieces--but it made me think a lot before I would agree or disagree with each premise proffered. That is the sign of a good book.

6 people found this helpful

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Ohio Generalist

A Detailed Account of the Affluent Suburban Exodus

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 25, 2013

Verified Purchase

Leigh Gallagher's The End of the Suburbs is a detailed account of the rise and fall of America's love and consumption of comfortable, car-dependent suburban living. Starting as far back as ancient Egypt, Gallagher tells us, rich high society types sought the quiet and comfort of the countryside. This, presumably, was the first suburb.

The first half of the book is an interesting account of the rise of traditional American suburbs and it's continuing factors. Mainly the post war population boom, mass produced building materials, and the beginning of America's obsession with the automobile. Then, predicabely, the author takes us through the housing boom of the 90s and 2000s, setting us up for the fall we have all experienced: The perfect storm of rising gas prices, overproduction, and questionable investment practices that created the housing crisis and largest recession since the great depression.

It is from this point, that Gallagher begins detailing recent changes in the housing market (driven mainly by the changing tastes of millennials). People of this age are now renting, buying smaller homes, and placing a premium on a more walkable and social way of life. The term Urbanism or "New Urbanism" is used over and over again. I have had very little exposure to the term, but not being a novice to the principals of city planning it's not hard to understand the concept. Urbanism we are told, is a return to traditional methods of designing homes, cities, and neighborhoods. Where residents are live where they work and walk to and from both. It's a focus on a more communal way of life. It has home builders scared to death and young couples frothing at the mouth.

I can't disagree too much with the author's account. My wife and I are in the process of selling a suburban property we purchased in 2005 and moving closer to downtown in a small, comfy home. When my realtor asked what I'm looking for in a new house, the top on my list were something more walkable and near friends. But this is my experience and after listening to the authors description of these new urbanists it's hard not to come to the conclusion that the migration back to city centers is really only for yuppies and the well-to-do. Indeed, it's hard not to roll your eyes when you hear the author describe one couple who moved from an affluent suburban neighborhood in Mass to a "fixer-upper" in Cambridge. The father is so excited that he can ride his bike to Google (where he works) and the wife can walk right around the street to Whole Foods. When the author speaks to her, she's in her car (which is likely not your dad's Pontiac) and is so embarrassed that she was caught driving. The book also details the tastes and clothes of other such "urbanists." Toward the end, it's a little hard to take.

The larger issue to me, and one that wasn't addressed sufficiently, is if this new urban reset is going to leave the majority of America behind. It's not like the suburbs will be empty. The thing that made the suburban movement profound in the first place was that it was that the homes were accessable to nearly anyone. How can the new urban renewal be just as impactful if the only people who move there are the young and wealthy?

12 people found this helpful

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an artist

where would you live?

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on January 22, 2015

Verified Purchase

Although this book is not fully relevant to the Canadian housing market it was still an interesting read for the historical and sociological growth, decline and re-birth of the suburb or 'urban-suburb'. One can see the trends and ideas proposed in Canada which brings questions to the surface of how is Canada handling our, if any issues of the suburbs. And the book definitely brings questions to mind about how one feels personally about urban and suburban living and what one's choices would be when given the newer options of living styles and housing that are coming about

Spain

Genial

Reviewed in Spain 🇪🇸 on October 29, 2017

Verified Purchase

Una explicación supercompleta y amena de los nuevos hábitos de volver a los núcleos urbanos que también sucede en España

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Patside

Interesting subject

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on February 12, 2015

Verified Purchase

Interesting content. I appreciated the research work. The notes will be useful in my case.
I understand it is a sensitive issue. Walking Home by Ken Greenberg is recommended as a related subject

Laurie

Très intéressant

Reviewed in France 🇫🇷 on February 15, 2018

Verified Purchase

Livre acheté pour préparer un exposé sur les banlieues américaine. Très intéressant, facile à lire et qui contient de nombreuses références pour approfondir. Je le recommande vivement

One person found this helpful

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