My last post shared my personal experience with disappearing third places. This one looks at the data. Using the National Neighborhood Data Archive (NaNDA), I analyzed three decades of establishment trends across U.S. neighborhoods where people could eat, shop, exercise, and gather from 1990 to 2021. The dataset shows which spaces grew, which collapsed, and where access declined. It also reveals a clear pattern: America’s social infrastructure shifted, segmented, and became more paywalled.

I've always been someone who learns through experience: cooking, exploring, new activities. But the spaces where casual interaction happened are disappearing. Coffee shops are remote offices now. Libraries feel formal. Parks require a reason. Malls don't feel safe. Froyo shops closed. Nice bars are too expensive. These every day spaces between home and work/school places shaped how we connect. Without them, we're finding it hard to meet and be around people casually. Where are your third places? I'm still searching for mine.