What changes to choice of place to live do you think would happen with a education voucher system?
I have my idea but I’m interested in what you think would happen.
There has always been a push-pull dynamic to the growth of suburbs. Historically, at any given price point, the 'burbs have offered newer and generally larger homes and yards. That's fine and dandy. This is the "pull," and it is a natural competitive advantage.
The "push," however, is something else. Cities didn't become the disaster areas so many of them are by accident. Cities have enormous inherent advantages in convenience and amenities, but these are often outweighed by the familiar but deadly combination of high crime, high taxes, and crummy schools.
Vouchers and school choice aren't a magic wand, but they would quickly and dramatically improve one of the most important push factors. Young people still move to the cities for their jobs, and they generally enjoy the attractions of urban life. Then they have kids. They still don't move to the 'burbs immediately; they move when the kids approach school age.
Cities are a great place to raise kids if you live in a reasonably safe neighborhood. But the price of private schooling is a huge factor. The tradeoff is pretty simple: tuition vs. a long commute and the need to spend the weekend chauffering the kids.
Fix the schools and we'll have gone a long way to fixing the cities.