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The writer is a visiting professor at Vanderbilt University, a professor at the University of Toronto and a distinguished fellow at The Kresge Foundation
The Trump administration is weighing a series of measures to support families and reverse the US’s plunging birth rate. But if the country truly wants to confront its birth rate crisis, it must go beyond incentives and make family-friendliness a national priority. American cities are at the heart of that challenge. They are among the world’s most inhospitable places for families and children — and that must change.
America’s birth rate has collapsed to near record-low levels, but that is not unusual among advanced western nations. What is unusual, however, is how dramatically birth rates have plummeted in its cities. Over the past decade, birth rates in large US urban counties have fallen twice as fast as those in rural counties. American cities are filled with young couples pushing infants and toddlers in strollers, but once kids reach school age many families head to the suburbs. The pandemic dramatically accelerated this exodus.
American cities are the global exception in this regard. Major cities in Europe and Asia are filled with families from all walks of life that contribute to their energy and vibrancy. The same is true in Toronto, where I live, in a neighbourhood close to downtown in which children safely walk to several excellent public and private schools. The neighbourhood has parks, grocery stores, cafés and community centres all within walking distance and is well served by public transport.
It wasn’t always this way. A half century ago, the urbanist Jane Jacobs described great city neighbourhoods like her own Greenwich Village as places where families could live together, work together and play together. My parents grew up in Newark in the 1930s and 1940s, when it was safe, clean and economically vital. They walked to school, shopped downtown and spent weekends in the city’s parks. But by the time my brother and I were born in the late 1950s and early 1960s, conditions had changed significantly. Our parents, like many others, moved to a nearby suburb for safety and better schools.
The reality is that American cities are still home to millions of families. And if they were more family-friendly, they could attract and retain even more.
Indeed, cities have considerable advantages for families with children. While suburbs offer bigger backyards and more affordable homes, they typically require parents to endure long commutes to work and more time away from their children. Urban neighbourhoods, by contrast, provide almost everything families need, either within walking or cycling distance or else a short trip away on public transport. Kids growing up in cities benefit from unparalleled access to top-notch cultural amenities, and gain independence and confidence by moving around the city on their own.
So, how can America make its cities more family friendly? Dealing with crime and ensuring safety top the list. Both reality and perception matter, as even minor disorder and public nuisances can drive families away. Soaring housing costs are a big part of the problem, too. Policies like inclusionary zoning, allowing developers to build taller buildings in exchange for affordable units, can help. Outdated regulations restricting new housing construction must be removed. And cities need more housing that is appropriate for families.
The quest for better education remains a key factor in why families leave cities for the suburbs. Navigating urban public schools and finding the right educational fit is daunting, and private options are costly. For many families, suburban schools provide a much easier alternative.
This isn’t an argument for turning cities into enclaves for the affluent and advantaged. American cities must work for families across socio-economic groups and ethnicities. Urban neighbourhoods must provide schools, parks and amenities that support the diverse mix of incomes and backgrounds essential to vibrant city life.
If America is serious about reversing declining birth rates and building a stronger nation, it must commit to making cities places where families can thrive and put down lasting roots. Indeed, creating cities that attract and retain families is a policy goal with cross-partisan appeal. Conservatives will favour initiatives that enhance public safety, expand educational choice and encourage family formation and childbearing. Liberals, meanwhile, can support efforts that reduce inequality, foster inclusive neighbourhoods and improve equitable access to quality education, healthcare and essential public services.
Strong families build strong cities, and strong cities will build a stronger nation.