Research conducted with the participation of Constructor University scientists has shown that the birth of children and changes in family status significantly affect where people live, work and use city services. The work was published in the journal npj Complexity.
The researchers analyzed US Census data and urban infrastructure data from OpenStreetMap to determine how family composition affects the cost of daily commutes and access to schools, medical facilities, shops and other essential facilities.
It found that parents are often willing to spend more time commuting to work in order to live closer to schools, medical facilities and other facilities important to the family. Thus, after the birth of a child, the usual balance between distance from work and access to urban infrastructure changes.
The authors believe that this calls into question the traditional approach to urban planning, in which the city is designed with the needs of some "average" resident in mind. According to the researchers, people with different family status use the city differently, so their needs should be considered separately.
"Our work first and foremost challenges urban planners to design cities based on people's real needs," said Mariana Macedo, associate professor of Constructor University and co-author of the study. "It is necessary to take into account the behavioral differences of different demographic groups in order to create fairer and more functional cities."
The study also showed notable differences between American cities. In a number of indicators, New York and Chicago were more suitable for parents, while Houston and Virginia Beach were more suitable for single residents. Cincinnati and Chicago also showed advantages for families with children, and Charlotte and Atlanta for married couples.
At the same time, the authors stress that parent-friendly infrastructure is usually helpful for other residents as well. Safer roads, walkable neighborhoods, parks, and accessible amenities for everyday use make the city more comfortable, regardless of one's family status.
The researchers plan to test their model outside the United States. According to them, the results can be significantly different in European cities, where the density of construction is higher, the public transport network is more developed, and schools, shops and other services are more often located directly in residential areas.
