Were the peak population levels of 1960s US cities due to overpopulation?

[jd3189]

I'm relatively familiar with many of the issues that led to the decline of many American cities through the late 20th century up to now in certain areas. But it is interesting to see that many prewar American cities were at their all-time peak back in the 50s and 60s, right after WW II.

One theory concerning this that I have come across was the fact that many veterans who came back after the war came back and started to have families immediately. Once the postwar suburbs started to get built en masse, people started to leave for more space.

Of course, this may not be the main reason, but it is interesting how so many cities, like Chicago, Detroit, Philly, Milwaukee, DC, Boston, SF, etc were far denser and populous at that point and many of them have yet to reach those peaks again. Had we focused a bit more of getting many of our cities to hold on to their peaks within the city proper while also building denser suburbs that grew with their main city, the US would be a different place, for sure better for urbanists than it is now.