Other big gainers were resort counties, drawing retirees to their mountains or beaches, such as Delaware's Sussex County and Maryland's Worcester County. One reason Pennsylvania's Pocono areas, such as Pike and Monroe counties, grew so fast is that they are attracting both new suburbanites and retirees moving into what had been their vacation homes, according to De Jong. As suburbanites flee farther out, looking for lower taxes, more land, and better schools, it creates a variety of problems, demographers say. Proclamations of urban revivals notwithstanding, the cities continue to rot and lose the good jobs and families to the far-flung hinterburbs. While population losses in Philadelphia weren't as bad as predicted, the fact remains that people are leaving the city in droves.
Long commutes can hurt 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. New residents often gobble up more in services than they pay in taxes. 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.