Whilst the advantages of home ownership have long been celebrated by Australian families, are we really 'doing the best for our kids by raising them in outer-urban living environments? This article examines the access of 12-19 year olds living on the urban fringes of Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide in 1991-92 to education, employment, entertainment and leisure, and compares their situation with that of their inner-city counterparts. Data is drawn from the Australian Living Standards Study conducted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies. The analysis for the article is based on 12-19 year olds living in Berwick and Werribee in Victoria, Campbelltown and Penrith in New South Wales and Elizabeth/Munno Parra in South Australia as outer-urban areas, in comparison with 12-19 year olds living in the cities of Melbourne and South Sydney, as inner-urban areas. The author found key differences in the experiences of urban fringe and inner-city young people in relation to post-secondary education and entertainment but not secondary education or employment.