America in 2015 is a national survey of Americans’ preferences and priorities regarding their communities, housing, and transportation, as well as their priorities for and barriers around healthy communities and lifestyles. ULI conducted the survey to illuminate a core question for every American: what do we want in our communities?

The survey describes a nation where generally high levels of overall satisfaction partially mask differences in preferences and perceptions depending on demographic cohort, economic standing, community characteristics, and racial/ethnic background.

This second edition of the survey was conducted by ULI’s Building Healthy Places Initiative and the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing.

Key Findings

• 87% of people are satisfied with their community’s quality of life.
• When choosing a place to live, quality of the environment is a top or high priority for 87% of adults, by far the highest community priority measured in the survey.
• 78% of people would rather live in a community with a mix of ages, and 66% would prefer a mix of cultures and backgrounds.
• Just over half of all Americans and 63% of the millennial generation would like to live in a place where they do not need to use a car very often.

Review Survey Results
Download Survey Report
Watch Video from ULI’s Spring Meeting, “Housing: What Will Millennials Do Next?”

ULI’s Centers and Initiatives help focus research in specific areas that support the ULI mission.  ULI collects and publishes data and analysis that helps land use leaders anticipate emerging trends and issues and explore new approaches and creative solutions.  Learn more