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Suburbanization and the rank-size rule

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  • Georgia Kosmopoulou
  • Nicholas Buttry
  • Jeremiah Johnson
  • Adam Kallsnick

Abstract

In this article, we revisit Zipf's law and test the rank-size rule on US cities for different periods of time and city limits. We show that Zipf 's law holds more closely for urban places in 1900 and recently, in 1990 and 2000, for metropolitan areas. With the evolution of the modern city, the changes in infrastructure and the cost of commuting that have contributed to an urban spread, the metropolitan area is perhaps representing today's communities better, as urban places did 100 years ago. In that sense, the rank-size rule continues to hold with the appropriate redefinition of a city.

Suggested Citation

  • Georgia Kosmopoulou & Nicholas Buttry & Jeremiah Johnson & Adam Kallsnick, 2007. "Suburbanization and the rank-size rule," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(1), pages 1-4.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:apeclt:v:14:y:2007:i:1:p:1-4
    DOI: 10.1080/13504850500425675
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nitsch, Volker, 2005. "Zipf zipped," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(1), pages 86-100, January.
    2. Xavier Gabaix, 1999. "Zipf's Law for Cities: An Explanation," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 114(3), pages 739-767.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yuejiao Lv & Yajuan Chen, 2022. "Research on the Evolution Characteristics and Synergistic Relationship between HSR Network and Economic Network in Hubei Province," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-25, July.
    2. Todd Kuethe & Valerien Pede, 2011. "Regional Housing Price Cycles: A Spatio-temporal Analysis Using US State-level Data," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(5), pages 563-574.
    3. Adele Sateriano & Giovanni Quaranta & Rosanna Salvia & Francisco Escrivà Saneugenio & Alvaro Marucci & Luca Salvati & Barbara Zagaglia & Francesco Chelli, 2024. "Envisaging the Intrinsic Departure from Zipf’s Law as an Indicator of Economic Concentration along Urban–Rural Gradients," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-16, March.

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