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Changes In The Nature Of Urban Spatial Structure In The United States, 1890–2000

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  • Sukkoo Kim

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type="main" xml:lang="en"> ABSTRACT This paper documents the long-run trends in the average densities and density gradients of urban areas in the United States. The data show that between 1890 and 2000 the average densities of cities and metropolitan areas rose and fell but that the density gradients of urban areas generally declined monotonically over time. While it is beyond the scope of this paper to estimate the causes of these changes, this paper argues that a complete understanding of the changes in the nature of US urban spatial structures is likely to go beyond the standard explanations based on the monocentric city model such as decreases in transportation costs and increases in household incomes.

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  • Sukkoo Kim, 2007. "Changes In The Nature Of Urban Spatial Structure In The United States, 1890–2000," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(2), pages 273-287, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:jregsc:v:47:y:2007:i:2:p:273-287
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    1. Alex Anas & Richard Arnott & Kenneth A. Small, 1998. "Urban Spatial Structure," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 36(3), pages 1426-1464, September.
    2. Sukkoo Kim, 2000. "Urban Development in the United States, 1690–1990," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 66(4), pages 855-880, April.
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    7. Kilkenny, Maureen, 1998. "Transport Costs, the New Economic Geography, and Rural Development," Staff General Research Papers Archive 1201, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    8. Sukkoo Kim, 2002. "The Reconstruction of the American Urban Landscape in the Twentieth Century," NBER Working Papers 8857, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    6. Kappner, Kalle, 2018. "Persistent shocks to urban density: Evidence from the Berlin air raids," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 37-41.
    7. Francis Ostermeijer & Hans R A Koster & Jos van Ommeren & Victor Mayland Nielsen, 2022. "Automobiles and urban density [Urban spatial structure]," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 22(5), pages 1073-1095.
    8. Zębik Grzegorz, 2011. "Typology of Suburban Communities in Poland," Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series, Sciendo, vol. 16(16), pages 173-188, January.
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    10. Eric A. Hanushek & Kuzey Yilmaz, 2010. "Household Location and Schools in Metropolitan Areas with Heterogeneous Suburbs; Tiebout, Alonso, and Government Policy," NBER Working Papers 15915, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    12. Cuberes, David, 2011. "Sequential city growth: Empirical evidence," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 229-239, March.
    13. Courtney LaFountain, 2008. "Core equivalence for residential land use models," International Journal of Economic Theory, The International Society for Economic Theory, vol. 4(4), pages 459-481, December.
    14. Naude, Wim, 2010. "Suburbanization and Residential Desegregation in South Africa's Cities," WIDER Working Paper Series 024, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    15. Wim Naudé, 2010. "Suburbanization and Residential Desegregation in South Africa's Cities," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2010-024, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
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    19. Liotta, Charlotte & Viguié, Vincent & Lepetit, Quentin, 2022. "Testing the monocentric standard urban model in a global sample of cities," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).

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