Why Did People Move to the Suburbs in the 1950s?
People moved to the suburbs in the 1950s because they thought it would be a safer place to raise families, because the G.I. Bill granted them money to use for a home mortgage and because more people were hoping to have the ideal family after two world wars. The suburbs were created for young families to get their lives started and were intended to help people build up their credit after the war.
Many men were granted mortgages through the G.I. Bill after returning home from World War II. This meant that they had more money to spend on buying homes and could more easily afford homes in comparison to city apartments. Many of these men had girlfriends and wives who wanted to live with them after they returned from the war. The suburbs were the place where many of these couples settled down.
In comparison to the rising crime rates and dirty atmosphere of the city, the suburbs were a safe and comfortable place to raise a family. The men went to work, while the women stayed home taking care of the children and the house. The people of the era often referred to these suburban neighborhoods as rabbit hutches because women would constantly reproduce and raise their kids. The suburban boom and the baby boom went hand in hand.
