The economist Edward Glaeser, despite being a big fan of cities (he wrote a book called Triumph of the City), ended up moving to a suburb. In addition to the reasons you mentioned, he cited America's ridiculous federal home mortgage interest deduction, which incentivises spending more on a bigger home, with obvious negative outcomes (environmental and otherwise).
> ... he cited America's ridiculous federal home mortgage interest deduction, which incentivises spending more on a bigger home, with obvious negative outcomes (environmental and otherwise).
Canada does not have such an interest deduction and has roughly the same home ownership rate as the US.
(What Canada does have is no capital gains tax on one's primary residence, so any profits when selling are tax free.)
The mortgage interest deduction doesn't incentivize getting a bigger home. Or even a more expensive home. It does incentivize getting a bigger mortgage. Frankly you can borrow a lot to buy a place in the city or in the suburbs.
