Population Density in the Urban Core and Suburban Periphery of Large Urban Areas in the U.S., 1980-2010

Abstract

To provide a more consistent definition than the traditional central city-suburb division, the urban core is defined as the extent of the built-up urban area in 1950 with the suburban periphery being the area added to the urban area thereafter. Population density in the urban core and suburban periphery is examined for 59 large urban areas from 1980 to 2010. Mean densities have not changed much over the period. Densities are, of course, higher in the urban core than the suburban periphery. The striking finding is the extremely high degree of variation in core and suburban density and density change. The population of the entire urban area, the growth of urban area population over time, and the presence of mountains as a barrier to urban expansion are related to density and density change in the urban core and suburban periphery.