Keys to the New Metropolis: America's Big, Fast-growing Suburban Counties

Abstract

This article explores the state of the 50 largest, fast-growing, suburban counties in the U.S., arguing that they are key to understanding the changing nature of U.S. metropolitan areas in the early 21st century. These counties contained over 26 million residents in 2000, or more than 1 in 11 Americans. Their residents were clearly more diverse and occupied more densely built environments in 2000 than was the case just 30 years before. As a result, though they are not truly urban, they are very different from suburbs of the past in form and character. Our four case examples trace development trends, transportation improvements, and changing politics in these increasingly complex, post-suburban places. We recommend that planners focus on the future in these places, even when they are booming, anticipating the unique challenges they will face as their growth slows. These similar counties face common problems, and may benefit from sharing successful strategies for making themselves more attractive and economically viable in the long run.

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