A closer look at this data identifies interesting differences between the older and postwar major cities and their metropolitan areas. While both had approximately 62 percent single family units in 1990, the single family homes available in postwar cities were more likely to be detached units. Detached single family homes accounted for 58.2 percent of the housing in postwar cities, with attached single family homes and duplexes comprising only 8.7 percent of housing. In older major cities, single family detached homes were 50.3 percent of the units, while attached single family homes and duplexes accounted for 16.9 percent of the housing units. This characteristic of housing type is also supported by data on the density of cities.
Postwar cities tend to be less dense than the older major cities.
On average, the density of a major postwar city is 2,683 persons per square mile, while the average density for older major cities is 9,236 persons per square mile. Getting Around Town Transportation and congestion are often cited as important factors in evaluating cities. Both the 1990 U.S. Census and the 2000 Places Rated Almanac give postwar cities the edge when it comes to travel times. According to the Census, the average journey to work for postwar cities took 21.9 minutes, while it took 25.1 minutes for older cities. These investments, many of which began before 1900, are reflected in the higher scores these cities received from the Places Rated Almanac for education, Older cities have more world-class facilities such as the New York Public Library arts and recreation.