Locally, Wilmington and Philadelphia avoided a loss of population, but the gain for each in the 1990s was minuscule. Meanwhile, suburban counties around Philadelphia and neighborhoods south and west of Wilmington posted healthy gains. The new growth areas are two or three counties beyond the big cities such as Philadelphia and Baltimore, which continue to lose population. Other big gainers were resort counties, drawing retirees to their beaches, such as Sussex County and Maryland's Worcester County. The cities continue to deteriorate and lose good jobs and families to the hinterburbs.
Long commutes can separate families.
In Monroe County, Pa., some parents of older children rent apartments in Manhattan during the week, returning home on weekends. Many new counties are not able to provide the schools, sewers, water or roads that newcomers demand, Katz said. Some rapidly developing bedroom suburbs are aiming to become more self-sufficient by adding industrial or commercial development. More than half of Cecil County residents go to work in other counties, commuting to jobs near Baltimore, Wilmington or Philadelphia. The county soon hopes to open thousands of acres of land for light manufacturing and distribution facilities, he said.