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The Changing Spatial Distribution of Economic Activity Across U.S. Counties

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  • Marcel Fafchamps
  • Klaus Desmet
  • Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Abstract

This paper studies the recent trends in the spatial distribution of economic activity in the United States. Using county-level employment data for 13 sectors - which cover the entire economy - we apply semi-parametric techniques to estimate how agglomeration and congestion effects have changed between 1972 and 1992. Non-service sectors are found to be spreading out and moving away from centers of high economic activity to areas 20 to 60 kilometers away; service sectors, on the contrary, are increasingly concentrating in areas of high economic activity by attracting jobs from the surrounding 20 kilometers.

Suggested Citation

  • Marcel Fafchamps & Klaus Desmet & Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 2000. "The Changing Spatial Distribution of Economic Activity Across U.S. Counties," Economics Series Working Papers 43, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:oxf:wpaper:43
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Combes, Pierre-Philippe & Magnac, Thierry & Robin, Jean-Marc, 2004. "The dynamics of local employment in France," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 217-243, September.
    2. Mora, Ricardo & San Juan, Carlos, 2004. "Geographical specialisation in Spanish agriculture before and after integration in the European Union," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 309-320, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    economic geography; agglomeration; congestion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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