Urban, suburban or rural? Understanding preferences for the residential environment

Abstract

There are two ongoing trends that lead to changing preferences for the built environment. One concerns a demographic transition into more but smaller, and older, households. The other concerns greater possibilities to satisfy residential preferences due to rising incomes and technological advances. The current study explores the preference for the type of residential environment and the underlying motivations. The smaller municipality is most preferred (36%), followed by the city edge (32%), a rural area (13%), the city centre (11%) and no preference (7%). The city centre is preferred because of amenities, ambiance, liveliness and activities. The city edge is preferred because of peace and quiet and easy access to the dwelling. Social contact was rarely mentioned. In contrast, respondents who preferred a smaller municipality frequently mentioned social contact. Furthermore, feeling safe/secure and wellbeing were important items. Finally, respondents with a rural preference mentioned freedom and peace and quiet.

The 2019 Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia Staff Survey: Determining the Level and Predictors of Quality of Life

“…Pertaining to the location of campuses, those working in urban areas had better QOL than those in suburban areas (62)(63)(64). Urban cities are often the main areas of economic, social, and political growths, which provide various opportunities to their dwellers, especially among the working class (62).…”

“…Pertaining to the location of campuses, those working in urban areas had better QOL than those in suburban areas (62)(63)(64). Urban cities are often the main areas of economic, social, and political growths, which provide various opportunities to their dwellers, especially among the working class (62). Additionally, their superior living conditions, with easy to reach amenities as well as specialized healthcare facilities, abundance of education opportunities, and availability of more specialized job prospects rendered greater QOL.…”

Sustainability Issues at the Neighbourhood Scale

“…Residential preferences, which result from psychological, sociological, and financial considerations, are not limited to the peri-urban countryside. The suburban model-and resulting dependence on the automobile-are, therefore, not the result of a general aspiration (Vos et al 2016;Jansen 2020). Whether urban or suburban, neighbourhood satisfaction can be defined as the extent to which the residential neighbourhood's needs are met (Lovejoy et al 2010).…”

From the agricultural station to a luxury village? Changing and ambiguous everyday practices in the suburb of Vinnytsia (Ukraine)

“…intentions, preferences, values or structural variables) (Heijs et al, 2009;Pisman, Allaert and Lombaerde, 2011). As people often make their residential choices basing on keeping their habitual everyday practices, the spatial division of lifestyle groups in different neighbourhoods is considered to be one of the most important spatial impacts of lifestyles (Aero, 2006;Feijten et al 2008;Mokhtarian and Cao, 2008;van Acker, 2010;Jansen, 2020).…”

“…The differences and, simultaneously, ambiguous relationships between urban, suburban and rural lifestyles have been pointed out since the middle of the XX century (e.g. Amato, 1993;Le Gates and Stout, 1996;den Hartog, 2006;Aero, 2006;Kaneff, 2013;Matz, Stieb and Brion, 2015;Jansen, 2020). The term "suburbanism" was first proposed in the 1950s as a "third way" between the concepts of urbanism and ruralism, as a specific sociopsychological state and pattern -a suburban way of life (Fava, 1956).…”