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7 MYTH <br />FACT <br />Our population is changing and becoming increasingly diverse. Many of these <br />households now prefer higher-density housing, even in suburban locations. <br />No one in suburban areas wants higher-density development. <br />W hen many of us think of the American Dream, we envision married <br />couples with children living in single-family detached houses in <br />the suburbs. The notion is that the only people who want to live <br />in higher-density areas are those who cannot afford a traditional <br />house with a back yard or who want to live in the middle of the city. Both percep- <br />tions are flawed. <br />This country’s population is changing, and so are its real estate preferences. These <br />lifestyle changes have significant implications for suburban development. For the <br />first time, there are more single-person households (26.4 percent) than married- <br />28 Higher-Density Development <br />HOUSEHOLDS BY TYPE: 2003 (PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL) <br />5.6 <br />15.2 <br />11.2 <br />16.4 28.2 <br />23.3 <br />Married couples with children (23.3) <br />Married couples without children (28.2) <br />Other family households (16.4) <br />Men living alone (11.2) <br />Women living alone (15.2) <br />Other nonfamily households (5.6) <br />Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey, <br />March; and Annual Social and Economic Supplement:2003.