Suburbs are way worse for children than cities are. As a teen/pre-teen in a city you have independence, you can go to places with your friends and hangout. Suburbs make your children dependent on you for rides and consequently stunts their emotional maturity.
I have no doubts that a city is better for teens/pre-teens, but I don't think growing up in a suburb stunts their emotional maturity. I grew up outside of DC in a decent suburb, and was able to get around via bike and meet my friends at the mall, the movie theater, etc. This was 2004-2007ish, not the 80's.
I spent a lot of time exploring with my friends, and being independent. I think it would be hard to have this kind of experience in a rural town, but in a suburb, it seems pretty normal.
A typical suburban-sprawl house is in an exclusively residential pod, separated from the nearest commercial pod by several miles on a fast road with no bike lane. If a teenager on a bike can reach any kind of business without mortal peril, it’s a different kind of suburb from the ones people react so negatively to.
