Suburbia is denser out West than it is

Suburbia is denser out West than it is in other parts of the country, according to a study by the Brookings Institution. Rolf Pendall, assistant professor at Cornell University and one of the study authors, reports that smaller lot sizes, larger family sizes, geographical constraints, and a higher level of redevelopment all explain the regional difference in rate of sprawl. Small lot size suburbia was successfully market tested by builders in Southern California several decades ago, and this model has spread to Las Vegas and Phoenix, Pendall says. In other areas of the country, such as the Northeast, communities have zoned for larger and larger lot sizes.