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- Info
Losing ground to sprawl? Density trends in metropolitan America
| Author: |
Pendall, Rolf; Fulton, William; Harrison, Alicia |
| Date: |
2000 |
| Periodical: |
In: Fair Growth: Connecting Sprawl, Smart Growth, and Social Equity; 2000 November 1; Atlanta, GA. Washington, DC: Fannie Mae Foundation |
| Abstract: |
This paper tracks density change in urban land over the past two decades. Density is a key measure of metropolitan growth patterns. The paper follows density change by county, region of the country, and metropolitan area. Nationwide urban densities-measured by persons per urban acre-dropped significantly between 1982 and 1992, especially on the periphery of older metropolitan areas and in areas where the population has stagnated. We find that most metropolitan areas are losing density, or "thinning." A few regions, mostly in the West, are gaining density or "thickening." Undeniably, density and sprawl are real issues that will significantly impact metropolitan America in the future, and information about trends on a nationwide scale provides the background and framework to decide where to go from here. Most important, it is critical to visualize the "big picture"-not only to see how all individual and jurisdictional decisions come together on a broad scale, but to recognize the impacts and options that will influence the metropolitan landscape in decades to come. |
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