I moved into a house with a yard last year and since the spring it has been nothing but a source of extra chores. Even my dog doesn't care much for it, he's happier going for a walk around the neighborhood.

Different people have different tastes and preferences. Of the ~30,000 municipalities in the country, we have exactly one that resembles the high density walkable/transit-oriented city described above. Do you really think that ratio accurately reflects Americans' preferences?