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A lot more people would live in the cities.

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.

That’s what I am thinking too.

But I wonder if other issues wouldn’t arrive to segregate people out of their choice to live in the city?

Say we fix school choice with vouchers, and schools improve as a result as we pro-voucher people expect ... it seems to me that would make housing costs within the city rise even more ... as there would be more demand.

Either way, it seems the trend is moving toward more central city living (and first/second ring “close-in” older suburbs).

I might add that my father grew up in the city and always wanted a yard. He got it, and then some. In due course, I grew up on the outskirts of a small town, and spent the best years of my youth mowing the grass ranch my parents called a lawn. (Four hours on the riding mower and another two on foot to trim.) I am still backlashing; I am very happy to live in the city, with a small yard that is quite large enough for small children and a garden.

So to any suburbanites who measure the worth of things by square footage, I'll just say "been there and done that."

My kids are growing up on Capitol Hill, in an historic neighborhood they probably won't appreciate until they leave. For all I know, they'll choose to complete the generational cycle and will invest in a suburban McMansion and a big riding mower. Different strokes for different folks. Their choice.

When they're old enough to understand, however, I don't think they'll regret having grown up in an historic neighborhood, one with character, within walking distance of school and friends, and with parents who can attend most school functions and get home in 15 minutes in the evening. Kinda neat to walk to the Smithsonian or take in a band concert on the Capitol steps, and then walk home.