Urban Land Use Theories and Models

Bid-Rent Theory

Land closest to the CBD is most expensive.

Concentric Zone Model (Burgess)

City grows outward in rings from the CBD.

Sector Model (Hoyt)

City develops in sectors or wedges radiating from the CBD.

Multiple-Nuclei Model (Harris & Ullman)

Cities grow from multiple centers or 'nodes' rather than one CBD.

Galactic/Peripheral Model

Decentralized city with a central CBD and edge cities connected by highways and beltways.

Latin American City Model

Strong CBD with a commercial spine and elite housing.

Southeast Asian City Model

Focused on a colonial port; no strong central CBD.

African City Model

Has three CBDs: traditional, colonial, and market zone.

Urban Population Density: Causes

Availability and cost of land, access to transportation and employment, historical development and migration trends, public infrastructure and services.

Wealthier neighborhoods

Often located farther from the CBD.

Poorer neighborhoods

Often near the CBD or industrial zones.

Urban Infrastructure and Economic Development

Quality infrastructure promotes business growth.

Smart Growth Policies and New Urbanism

Encourage walkability, public transport, and mixed-use development.

Slow-growth cities

Intentionally limit expansion to preserve character and manage resources.

Redlining

Denial of loans or insurance to residents in certain areas, often based on race or income.

Blockbusting

Realtors exploit racial fears to induce homeowners to sell cheaply.

Disamenity Zones

Areas with few services, high poverty, and poor infrastructure.

Squatter settlements

Informal housing without legal land claims, often built on marginal land.

Land tenure

Legal right to occupy land.

Primate city

Disproportionately large and dominant city.

Rank-size rule

The second-largest city is half the size of the largest, the third is one-third, and so on.

Megacity

Urban area with a population over 10 million.

Metacity

Urban area with a population over 20 million.

Boomburb

Rapidly growing suburban city with more than 100,000 residents but not a core city.

Exurb

Wealthy residential area beyond the suburbs; semirural with limited services.

Streetcar cities

Grew around streetcar lines in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Automobile cities

Shaped by widespread car ownership.