For a lot of people, the Monied Burbs are what they mean when they say America. These counties are home to neatly laid-out rows of homes on tree-lined streets and to the upscale shopping malls and office parks that have come to define American suburbia. The Burbs hold more people than any other type in Patchwork Nation and they are a little better off in terms of income and education than the others – in some cases a lot better off. They hold the leafy inner-ring suburbs around the nation’s biggest cities along with some of the struggling run-down close-in towns. But on the whole, these are the counties of the American dream where people mostly live in houses, not apartments, where they drive late-model cars to white-collar jobs.

The higher incomes in the Burbs means these counties are the kinds of places where you find the country’s high-end retailers and car dealers. You’ll generally find no shortage of fine restaurants in which to dine along with a good selection of organic groceries. The nicest Monied Burbs are the places where one finds restored old-time downtowns with cafés, upscale clothing boutiques and pet bakeries – all equipped with wi-fi. Of all the county types in Patchwork Nation, the Burbs have the most households with some investment in the stock market and the most college degrees. These counties weren’t exempted from the effects of the Great Recession. Their unemployment rates spiked like everyone else’s. But they have seen the fastest rebound, aided by their higher median incomes and education rates.