Where do suburbs end and exurbs begin? (area, definition)

[kidphilly]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Obviously any definition is subjective. That said, I tend to define it the following way. Suburbs are the areas which are either within the same county as the core municipality or (if the city is independent like Saint Louis, or on a county line like Detroit) the immediately adjacent county. Exurbs are in counties which border the "core suburban" counties.

Obviously these definitions are not perfect. For example, under such a definition Chester County in Southeastern Pennsylvania would be exurban. In truth some areas (Berwyn, Paoli, Malvern, etc) have been railroad suburbs for around a century. I do think it's fair to say the county as a whole is exurban though.

though for Chester County to me much is exurban, once continuity is lost it becomes exurban


For Philly to me Delaware, Lower Bucks, And Eastern Montgomery are suburban (anything west of say a line from Montgomeryville to KOP and Trooper begins exurban for me (maybe below 2K density or something and not continuous) most else is exurban with the exception of a sliver of Chester


for Jersey most of Camden is suburban, other counties in Jersey are mostly exurban


For Delaware is harder as it starts to get further away yet has a small city in Wilmington. Cecil county MD is mostly rural to me and not even exurban for me

[kidphilly]

Although to me probably to low on density, maybe UA is a metric to define the extent of suburbs, MSA and non UA could be exurbs

[qworldorder]

Originally Posted by kidphilly

though for Chester County to me much is exurban, once continuity is lost it becomes exurban


For Philly to me Delaware, Lower Bucks, And Eastern Montgomery are suburban (anything west of say a line from Montgomeryville to KOP and Trooper begins exurban for me (maybe below 2K density or something and not continuous) most else is exurban with the exception of a sliver of Chester


for Jersey most of Camden is suburban, other counties in Jersey are mostly exurban


For Delaware is harder as it starts to get further away yet has a small city in Wilmington. Cecil county MD is mostly rural to me and not even exurban for me

Though Wilmington anchors its own region, and isn't really a suburb as much as it's a satellite city, I think you could classify it as far suburban/close exurban--it really is at that line, imo. You could argue that the city and its northern suburbs all the way to Claymont could be more "suburban" and everything west and south is exurban. I personally live only 20 miles from Philly city limits (the airport), and I-95, when it's moving, is generally quick. SEPTA is a 45 min ride too, and you can spring a pricey Acela ticket for a 19 min ride if you really need to move.

So I think distance is a factor here, too, along with how efficient the transportation options are to get to the main city. Generally, the further a place out from the main city determines being a suburb or exurb, but there are suburbs that are a bit further out, but are well connected to the main city, so don't really feel like exurbs.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by gladhands

I think when you have a sizable population that works in the suburban office parks, as opposed to the course city, it becomes an exurb. I just don't know where the cut off is.

By those standards nearly all of the Philly suburbs are exurban, given Philadelphia has one of the weakest downtown employment markets of a a city of its size.

[qworldorder]

Originally Posted by mr roboto

To me suburb = already developed but connected to a main core Coty economically. Exurb = still not fully developed with farmland/wilderness around.

I like this definition. When I think exurb, I think of notable gaps in development from the suburbs, and brand new subdivisions surrounded by nature (woods, farmland, desert, etc.).

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by qworldorder

I like this definition. When I think exurb, I think of notable gaps in development from the suburbs, and brand new subdivisions surrounded by nature (woods, farmland, desert, etc.).

One could argue, that by this definition, there are no exurbs in the Northeast Corridor.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by gladhands

One could argue, that by this definition, there are no exurbs in the Northeast Corridor.

On the other hand if you use the "linked to core city" method most northeast corridor suburbs are exurbs. After all, while a small proportion of the white-collar workforce in places like Fairfield County and northern New Jersey commutes to Manhattan, the vast majority of them work at some local office suburban office park.

[qworldorder]

Originally Posted by gladhands

One could argue, that by this definition, there are no exurbs in the Northeast Corridor.

Yes, but I'd think it would be a stretch. You'd have to use very loose definitions for density and development to define suburb. Most suburbs in the Northeast are fairly dense and directly contiguous with their main city, with no gaps.

For example, Coatesville, PA is what I would consider a true exurb of Philadelphia. It's 45 miles out, heavily wooded, and is, for all intents and purposes, the last stop on the Thorndale/Paoli SEPTA regional rail line (technically, Thorndale is, but it's a distance of 3 miles and serves both). Same media market and connected to the city via Route 30, but it's a hike to get there (~ an hour) and the development along US 30 is low density and lightly developed in many parts. I think the locals there are more apt to say I'm from Coatesville, PA to a regional outsider rather than Philadelphia, which is what someone from Upper Darby would most likely do.

And from the end of Baltimore's suburbs to the beginning of Wilmington's in Elkton, it's the same story, though with an even bigger gap in development/connectivity. So I'd say your definition would have to be very, very loose for that to be a valid statement.

[qworldorder]

Originally Posted by eschaton

On the other hand if you use the "linked to core city" method, than most northeast corridor suburbs are exurbs. After all, while a small proportion of the white-collar workforce in places like Fairfield County and northern New Jersey commutes to Manhattan, the vast majority of them work at some local office suburban office park.

This is also true, and as you've already noted, particularly evident in the Delaware Valley. I think distance is probably the best metric to separate between suburb and exurb, honestly, with the larger metros having further out suburbs and exurbs due to size. If your commute into the city on an uncongested day is more than ~45 min by either driving or train (ignoring transfers and wait times, since that might pad the time not due to distance), you probably live in an exurb.

[NigerianNightmare]

For North (directly north not including NE or NW areas) Houston it is very simple-
Exurb- Montgomery, Texas or Woodforest Subdivision Although these people commute to the central city these communities are surrounded by wilderness and have only country roads linking back to the city with very little commercial development
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mo...!4d-95.6963253
The collective area is called Montgomery because the closest small town to it is Montgomery, the area along 105 connected to Montgomery is filled with thousands of people who may commute to either Conroe or The Woodlands
Suburb- The Woodlands, Texas or Spring, Texas
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Th...1!4d-95.461278
Satellite City (town in this case)- Conroe, Texas or Huntsville Texas although it is in commutable distance, most work in the town or city and the town has a history and has been developed for years.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Co...!4d-95.4560852

West Houston
Satellite City/Town- Non
Suburb- Katy Texas
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ka...!4d-95.8243847
The collective region is known as Katy, North of Westpark Tollway and South of FM 529, East of Barker Cypress Road (100 square miles of suburbia)
Exurb- Foster region of Richmond, Texas
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fo...!4d-95.8275604
The collective region ( South of Westpark Tollway, Around Grand Parkway and North of the southern border of the town of Richmond. It is a large 200 square mile area of mostly no development.