I find studying suburbs enjoyable and necessary for understanding the United States. Several years ago, I summed up my research strategies for finding out more about a particular suburb. The tips are organized in two blog posts:

First steps toward knowing a suburb

Next steps to knowing a suburb

Depending on the size of the community, the historical information available, and the energy of the resident or researcher, these seven steps could lead to a wealth of information and a better understanding of why a suburb is the way it is.

These strategies could also apply to many other American communities beyond suburbs.