Skip to Content
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Log In
Streetsblog USA

Two Graphs That Illustrate America’s Dysfunctional Housing Market

9:47 AM PST on February 6, 2015

Jed Kolko, chief economist at real estate information giant Trulia, recently shared these two graphs that give us an interesting glimpse into what's happening in the American housing market.

This first graph shows that housing development is growing fastest in the suburbs. To be precise, the most sprawling, suburban of suburbs.

But that's only part of the story. If you look at where housing prices are rising fastest, the pattern flips. The most urban neighborhoods are where prices are heating up the most.

What does this tell us? A few things.

As Kolko put it in a follow-up tweet, "limited supply" is "constraining urban growth." It's much, much easier to build new homes in undeveloped greenfields than in central cities, where zoning and NIMBYism prevent housing construction. If we're going to reduce sprawl and make city living affordable, we're going to need to ratchet up housing construction in urban areas.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog Los Angeles

Eyes on the Station: Metro Fortified Turnstiles at MacArthur Park Station

Metro fortified turnstile entrances at MacArthur Park in order to curb fare-evading riders; sometimes this has adverse impacts on fare-paying riders

September 27, 2023

SGV Connect 117: Alhambra Councilmember Adele Andrade-Stadler and Artist Steve Farley

SGV Connect podcast interviews Alhambra City Councilmember Adele Andrade-Stadler and Pomona Gold Line Station Artist Steve Farley

September 26, 2023

This Week In Livable Streets

Metro board, Ballona Creek, Metro K Line extension, Green Line maintenance, Metro public safety, and more

September 26, 2023
See all posts