Between the hectic life of metropolises and the calm of the countryside, parents often hesitate about the future and the development of their children. However, studies on educational inequalities could well put an end to this dilemma.
It’s a debate that has always animated parents: is it better to raise your children in a big city or in the countryside? The arguments of urban parents lean towards easier access to higher education and cultural activities, while rural parents extol the merits of a “green” childhood, in a calmer environment more conducive to outdoor activities. Although the two lifestyles are the same on paper, in reality there are real differences in academic success between children raised in rural or urban areas.
Many official studies have looked into the subject: where is it best to grow up to have the best chance of success at school? In addition to the territory itself, it is above all the social environment of the parents which influences the academic success of their children. But this still depends a lot on geography.
Contrary to what one might think, urban children are more exposed to precariousness than those in the countryside, where there are fewer single-parent or large families, but also fewer unemployed parents. On the other hand, the proportion of children of workers or farmers is much higher there, where the children of executives and business leaders are more numerous in highly populated urban communities. Paradoxically, according to a DEPP report on educational inequalities, the social environment of students living in rural areas or on the urban outskirts is more favorable to academic success than that of urban students.
Moreover, children who live outside big cities often have better working conditions. According to DREES, 9 out of 10 have their own room and a house with outdoor space. In the city, only 7 out of 10 have their own personal sphere, and only 5 out of 10 have a garden. These conditions help you concentrate better and learn more easily. Also, the population being less dense, the classes are therefore less overcrowded and the students often benefit from more particular attention from teachers. But children who grow up away from urban areas also tend to have shorter studies and more apprenticeship training. INSEE notes that at the age of 20, twice as many rural young people have left the school system as urban young people.
Ultimately, the areas most favorable to academic success are the suburbs of large cities. Neither completely urban nor completely rural, this hybrid environment combines employment, social stability and a higher standard of living. Conversely, municipalities very far from urban centers and very small towns concentrate more social difficulties, which weighs on school careers. It is therefore not just the city versus the countryside: it is the (moderate) proximity to large metropolises, as well as the social environment of families, which would really make the difference for the academic success of children.
