If we're looking statistically, detached homes are more expensive than apartments pretty much everywhere once you take into account location. And having a family with a toddler myself, trust me, apartments are not the best fit for that situation.

Anecdotally, in Australia, post COVID both rent and real estate in regional areas have gone up dramatically - much more than in cities - rapidly pricing locals out and forcing them to move elsewhere and sometimes find temporary accommodation. Now that WFH is more normalised and either want a quiter lifestyle or straight up can't afford houses in major cities, so they are moving to smaller towns instead.

My own preferences are fairly different but I can't argue with data.