While tens of thousands of city dwellers love it, city living is only for some. There are many reasons for this, ranging from urban housing density that is stifling to crime rates to everyday challenges of urban life like public transportation woes.
There is suburban life for people who find the urban nature of a busy city too much to handle, and for the even more adventurous who are looking for complete privacy, there are the exurbs.
What is the difference between suburbs and exurbs besides the fact that one has more box stores and the other has more usable land? There are substantial differences between the two, and those are outlined below.
What Are Exurbs?
Exurbs are areas that extend beyond the normal limits of what is considered “suburban.” They are not quite “rural,” but there is plenty of land to enjoy, privacy, and a smaller housing density.
The appeal of the exurbs is a greater level of comfort via a quieter, more peaceful existence that is still within a reasonable drive of most urban amenities.
Other characteristics of the exurbs include, but are not limited to:
- Larger homes.
- Property with more square footage than urban housing and suburban properties.
- Lower violent crime rates.
- Less access to amenities, schools, and employment.
- Longer commutes.
An excellent way to understand what constitutes an exurb is to think of the city limits of urban centers colored in red with rings around them, like a bullseye.
The first few rings are the suburbs. Then, the next few rings are the exurbs at the suburban periphery. Beyond the exurbs is rural America, with cows, wide open spaces, and greater access to nature.
Experts estimate that there are 222 exurb communities in America, encompassing 34 million people. Most exurb communities are well off financially. Generally, exurbs exist within 50 miles of major cities.
As cities expand and suburban communities experience population growth, exurbs gradually convert to suburbs. The trend of exurbs becoming more populated was heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Folks moved away from cities and adjacent communities to areas with more affordable homes, better schools, and a higher quality of life.
What are suburbs?
The suburbs are those storied lands immediately outside cities, usually considered part of a “metropolitan area.” There is no specific definition for suburbs, although all suburbs have some common defining characteristics that constitute significant differences from exurbs.
Those include, but are not limited to:
- Being primarily residential agglomerations of housing.
- Limited availability of land.
- Robust business operations in smaller town centers, strip malls, and malls.
- Public transportation options, but also an easy city commute.
- Proximity to city features (dining, clubs, pro sports, theater, etc.).
- Good access to amenities, schools, and employment.
- Higher costs of living and potentially more congestion.
There are almost as many different types of communities within a typical suburban area as there are neighborhoods within a specific city. While these areas are not as populated as urban areas, suburban towns and cities often have their own identities.
The essential characteristic of a suburban housing market or community is proximity to urban life but in a more open space with more significant economic opportunities and better schools, with fewer people, congestion, and violent crime.
Key Differences between Exurbs and Suburbs
There are several differences between exurbs and suburbs.
Location and Distance from a City Center
While the limits of suburbs and exurbs are blurred, a few elements of proximity are clear. First, the suburbs exist near a primary city. Most people consider the suburbs to fall between the center of the city and three or four towns outside the city limits. On the other hand, exurbs have access to a nearby city but are at least a few towns outside the city limits.
Population Density
Exurbs are one step removed from a rural setting. Access to city amenities often requires a drive through the suburbs to get there. In that space, properties migrate from occasionally having extensive lawns and open spaces to more crowded areas of houses built close together, extending throughout communities but with very few boundaries apart from natural boundaries.
The suburbs tend to have slightly less population density than urban centers but much more than the typical exurb. There are so many people in suburban areas that the two populations often merge to form a figurative “metropolitan area.”
Cost of Living
The suburbs are usually more expensive than the exurbs, although that trend has shifted somewhat due to population shifts because of the global pandemic. Because of that migration, many exurbs that used to have ample affordable housing and a lower cost of living have become significantly more crowded (comparatively) and expensive.
If the trend of moving to exurbs continues among white-collar, upper-middle-class, and wealthy families, the cost of living in the exurbs may rise dramatically. The trend will be exacerbated by urban flight as well.
Commute Times
Average commute times in suburbs and exurbs are different, but not as much in terms of the time it takes to commute. For instance, commuting from an exurb of Philadelphia, PA, can take as much time and even be quicker because of less congestion and significant highways, even though the distance is greater.
Conversely, living immediately outside Queens, NY, can take as much time to commute to Manhattan as it does to commute from 25 or 30 miles outside New York City. What is sacrificed in distance by those living in the suburbs is often counterbalanced by the congestion on secondary roads in the suburbs.
Access to Amenities
Access to amenities is one significant difference between the exurbs and suburbs. The exurbs have fewer stores, hospitals, entertainment options, and access to city amenities. Suburbs usually have better services and amenities across the board.
Those include, but are not limited to:
- Better medical facilities
- More restaurant and shopping options
- Public transportation
- Better municipal services
- More professional entertainment options and access
Much of what is available in the suburbs or exurbs depends on the nearby city. Smaller cities will exhibit a starker contrast between suburbs and exurbs. Medium-sized cities will show less of a difference because there are more people and, thus, more people looking to move further out than your typical suburb.
Megacities are generally defined by regions (the greater New York City area, for example), which blurs the distinction between suburbs and exurbs. It is customary in New Jersey, for example, to have very little difference between suburbs and exurbs because the greater populace is so large that one town or county blurs into the next.
Lifestyle and Environment
The key benefits of the suburbs are more room, privacy, and access to nature. A downside to that extra space is that municipal services may suffer.
For example, a home in the exurbs might not have access to water or sewage but will probably have a lot of access to parkland, lakes, rivers, etc. Public transport options are almost nonexistent unless a public transport corridor runs through the exurb.
Conversely, life in the suburbs offers just about everything the city offers. Pro sports, restaurants, shops, public parks, educational opportunities, etc. are all benefits of living in the shadow of a big city.
Key Takeaways
The best way to differentiate between exurbs and suburbs is that the suburbs have proximity to a central urban area, which has its benefits and drawbacks. In contrast, the exurbs offer privacy, land, and bigger homes, but with longer commutes to the city and fewer amenities.
Contact a local real estate agent today if you are interested in looking at homes or property in the suburbs or exurbs.
Finally, remember that the key to finding the right home in the right locale is prioritizing what is important to you within your budget.
FAQs: Exurbs vs Suburbs
The following are frequently asked questions potential home buyers have regarding exurbs vs suburbs and which more closely meet their needs and desires.
What is an example of an exurb?
Exurbs can be defined in many different ways. Counties that meet the exurb criteria include:
In addition, regions that meet the requirements include much of New Jersey between New York City and Philadelphia, PA, southern Orange County in CA, and significant chunks of southwestern Illinois.
What is the difference between the suburbs and the exurbs?
There are many differences, including exurbs having a lower cost of living and housing, suburbs having more amenities, and the distances to whatever cities they are near.
What is the difference between exurb and rural?
Exurbs are semi-rural but still have a vibrant municipal presence, entertainment, medical facilities, etc. Rural areas are usually smaller towns with wide, open stretches of land that may or may not be occupied.
Why are people moving to exurbs?
There are many reasons for the migration to the exurbs, including wanting more space to live, a slower pace, and a better quality of life outside of not having city or suburb amenities.
Are exurbs wealthy?
Predominantly, exurbs end up divided between locals, who are not usually wealthy, and those who moved in, who are typically better off financially.
Who is most likely to live in the exurbs?
Upper-middle-class white people are more likely to live in an exurb.
Why are millennials leaving urban areas?
No one knows for sure. Less expensive real estate might be one reason. Another might be a desire for a more balanced life.
What are the pros of exurbs?
Exurbs provide a better balance between city life and rural life. They also have more affordable houses with larger areas. Exurbs usually tend to have lower crime rates compared to suburbs and cities.
