Even a global pandemic seemed unable to stop the rise of urban life. The early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic saw a flight from the cities – The Economist reported that 17 per cent of Parisians left the French capital as the country went into lockdown in March 2020.35 Yet cities bounced back with remarkable rapidity. Researchers at the Wharton School of Business found that most of the major shifts away from cities early in the pandemic were temporary. While some particularly expensive areas such as Manhattan might see a more long-lasting exodus, cities generally held on to their residents.
