The study is alright in isolation and applies to America. If fails to address some of the underlying reasons behind such a preference, where larger houses in sectioned neighbourhoods are generally correlated with wealth, a symbol of success and being generally safer.
However, the same generally applies to Europe as well.
Home ownership
Property markets in the EU display considerable differences in relation to tenure status, in other words, the proportion of people who rent or own their home. Many people have aspirations to own their property, but the patterns of home ownership in the EU are quite varied. Generally there has been an increase in home ownership, with a preference to move into single-family dwellings that have more internal and external space. This has tended to result in the expansion of low-density housing in suburban areas around some of Europe’s largest cities.
Here is one for the Japanese city Kawasaki. The study evaluates reasons for relocation to high-density apartments with an emphasis on age and familial status.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13467581.2022.2052299
Super-high-rise condominiums have become popular in Japan as they are convenient and offer various floor plans, large-scale open spaces, and common facilities. However, few studies have examined the characteristics of super-high-rise condominium residents and their residential intentions.
The numbers with respect to age.
Based on their life stages, the results indicated the following: 1) Approximately 70% of the young households moved from apartments (leased); 2) the ratios of middle-aged households relocated from condominiums (owned), apartments (leased), and detached houses (owned) were approximately 33%, 27%, and 20%, respectively; 3) Approximately 50% of the early elderly households and approximately 66% of the late elderly households moved from detached houses (owned).
Why would they like to live in high density apartments?
Regarding the important factors influencing the choice of their current houses (multiple answers), almost all residents emphasised on traffic convenience. Moreover, they emphasised on good commercial and public facilities, a good urban environment based on redevelopment projects, interest in super-high-rise condominiums, availability of medical and welfare facilities, and effectiveness of the townscape. Examining the data based on the life stages of the residents, the following important parameters affected their residential choices: 1) Young single households: “interest in super-high-rise condominiums (22%)”; “effectiveness of the townscape (18%)”; 2) young couples and young parent-child households: “ease to work as a dual-income family (26%, 27%)” – however, the latter did not emphasise on “interest in super-high-rise condominiums (10%)”; 3) middle-aged single and couple households: “interest in super-high-rise condominiums (28%, 32%)”, “daily living facilities such as commercial facilities (51%, 42%)”, and ‘medical and welfare facilities (19%, 21%); and 4) elderly households emphasised on “interest in super-high-rise condominiums”, and daily living facilities, particularly medical and welfare facilities.
Essentially, convenience, access to healthcare, transport and a good environment are considerations.
How about renting a house versus an apartment? Which group is happier with their dwelling?
Australia:
Of those residing in apartments, 78 per cent were content with their living arrangements, compared with 88 per cent of those in houses. The disparity was most significant in Melbourne, compared with Sydney and Brisbane, where just 75 per cent of people in apartments were happy to be there compared to the satisfaction of 91 per cent of house dwellers.
USA:
So it's a funny divide here but kind of in an equilibrium state [1].
While the Australian article passed off two exceptionally high percentages as a disparity (go study, journo[2]), it's fair to conclude that cost is impeding most of us from moving to a desirable place. It's also fair to conclude that generally, if satisfied at all, we like our dwelling regardless of house or apartment.
It's almost like... people are different and will choose living arrangements that suits them the most...?
Oh wait, it's hidden here:
So urbanites like high density, people in the suburbs are inclined to single family houses and the rural folks distinctively prefer single family houses. Whoops...
I guess this level of basic reading is too much for urbanspergs.
[1] and [2]: All of these studies fail to account for reasons of dissatisfaction or fail to distinguish between them. Having an annoying neighbour doesn't mean the apartment or house is bad as those with good neighbours would disagree. In the same breath, the pew study does not seem to explain why people prefer large zoned single family houses. Obviously no study is perfect, that's why it's fun.
