I find this whole topic reductive in general. Specifics matter quite a bit. I don't disagree with some of the article but it feels very gloomy compared to suburban life I see around me.
Yeah, it depends on your definitions I guess. I'm certainly not in classic suburbia. I think ESRI says I'm in an exurb. In any case, I'm certainly not walking anyplace except down to the river or to a couple adjacent neighbors or conservation land within a 100+ acres total. Where I grew up was similar. This is considered urban by the US census by the way.
Yes, but that's how the US Census divides urban vs. rural. Of course, they could go by more granular ESRI divisions but they don't. But various people use them anyway by imagining you're in Manhattan or in the middle of nowhere.