Big-metro residence suppresses civic engagement independent of who lives there

Evidence

Comparing two people identical in all these respects, the resident of a major metropolitan area, either in the central city or in a suburb, is significantly less likely to attend public meetings, to be active in community organizations, to attend church, to sign a petition, to volunteer, to attend club meetings, to work on community projects, or even to visit friends. Metropolitans are less engaged because of where they are, not who they are. — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 688