America's Growing Urban Footprint (largest, Baltimore, suburban, Atlanta)

[brent6969]

Very interesting article......

America's Growing Urban Footprint - Neighborhoods - The Atlantic Cities
America's Growing Urban Footprint - Neighborhoods - The Atlantic Cities

[brent6969]

Not only are more Americans living in urban areas, but those urban areas are getting bigger.

According to new figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 80 percent of the U.S. population lives in urban areas – areas that range wildly in population and density, as we recently reported. And with this latest count of urban dwellers, the Census Bureau has also released revised measurements of just how big the country's urban areas are geographically. With the rise in urban population, there has also been a rise in the sheer size of many cities and urban areas.

Atlanta saw the largest absolute increase in its urban area between 2000 and 2010, growing from 1,962 square miles to 2,645, an increase of nearly 683 square miles.

[geoking66]

I have a hard time believing the Census Bureau's definition that 1,000 people per square mile is somehow urban. It's not. "Developed" might be a better term. Urban is usually 5,000 or 10,000+ per square mile, at least in the common understanding of the word. In the article, Atlanta is shown to have grown the most in terms of urban area, but all of that is suburban development. The amount of "urban" areas in the US is relatively stable, particularly because dense development is now more focused on infill rather than expansion. The Census Bureau needs to have both 1,000 and 5,000 people per square mile data for this to make more sense, at least in my opinion.

[kidphilly]

Originally Posted by geoking66

I have a hard time believing the Census Bureau's definition that 1,000 people per square mile is somehow urban. It's not. "Developed" might be a better term. Urban is usually 5,000 or 10,000+ per square mile, at least in the common understanding of the word. In the article, Atlanta is shown to have grown the most in terms of urban area, but all of that is suburban development. The amount of "urban" areas in the US is relatively stable, particularly because dense development is now more focused on infill rather than expansion. The Census Bureau needs to have both 1,000 and 5,000 people per square mile data for this to make more sense, at least in my opinion.

I completely agree; would love to see a metric at 5 or 10K for cities

[geoking66]

Originally Posted by kidphilly

I completely agree; would love to see a metric at 5 or 10K for cities

It would also solve spillover problems on the whole, particularly NY/Philly, DC/Baltimore, and the Bay Area.