I think that all the factors that originally led to big urban environments developing have been mitigated by modern technology. The mega city has seen its day, and the longer it takes American society to realize this, the more of a burden our bloated cities will be to our economy.
Our town (pop. ~ 3600) is economically viable, unlike mostly all the big cities and suburban areas. There's much less crime because everyone knows everyone else's business. It's a cleaner environment with better schools and friendlier people. A small town has all the benefits of urban/suburban living without any of the detriments.
If you like cities, the job market is looking up.
U.S. News & World Report last week named the urban planner as one of the top 50 careers of 2011, forecasting “strong growth” for the position in the next decade.
Ben Baden writes:
An expanding population has created the need for additional transportation systems, affordable housing, and schools in many parts of the country. The urban and regional planning field is expected to grow 19 percent, from 38,400 jobs in 2008 to 45,700 jobs by 2018, according to the Labor Department. Most of the new jobs will be with state and local governments.
That’s good news, because a gig like this pays pretty well for a public sector job: urban and regional planners earned a median salary of $61,820 in 2009. (Tack on another $10,000 for a job at a private architectural or engineering firm.)
So what’s an urban planner do, exactly? Study how land is currently used, get community input on future use, forecast that use case, then actually set pencil to paper, minding regulations and budget constraints.
Whether for a school or a housing development or a park (or bike trails or high-speed rail or city transit), the urban planner no doubt has their work cut out for them in an age where interest in infrastructure is high.
In fact, USN&WR’s top 50 list features quite a few smart jobs. Among our favorites: biomedical engineer (healthcare!), civil engineer (cities!), environmental science technician (environment!), network architect (smart grid!), HVACR technician (green building!).
Illustration: Spacing Toronto, based on designs from the Toronto Star
