New Study: Redefining How We Talk About America's Cities

The National League of Cities (NLC), in conjunction with the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech, recently analyzed nearly 1,000 cities ranging in population as part of a study entitled:  From Meltingpot Cities to Boomtowns:  Redefining How We Talk about America’s Cities.  The analysis surveys cities from across a diverse set of social, economic, and demographic variables and attempts to define a typology of municipalities.  A typology is a general way to organize observations into distinct classifications.  By doing so, the NLC hopes to develop a “guiding framework” to help policy makers and researchers examine local issues and strategies — particularly those related to land use. 

Central cities and the suburbs are a common municipal classification, but how do we analyze cities in a significant/systematic way when the lines between central cities, suburbs, and even rural areas are blurred?  The terms “city” and “suburbs” have run their course and are associated with an older economic structure.  The evolution of this structure prompted a reexamination of the uniform perceptions of traditional city types.

The report finds six different types of American cities.  They are Spread cities, Gold Coast cities, Metro Centers, Meltingpot cities, Boomtowns, and Centervilles.  Spread cities are the most prevalent form of municipality across the country representing 41% of the pie.  The next most common are Gold Coast cities, followed by Meltingpot Cities.

Spread cities are characterized by average populations (50,000 and 65,000), low densities (about 2,88 per square mile), few households with children (32%), and few immigrant residents (less than 10%).  Examples of spread cities are Greenville, S.C.; Pinellas Park, Fla.; and LaCrosse, Wis.

Gold Coast cities have older (avg. median age is 38), wealthier (avg. median income is $62,000), and educated populations (27% of people over 25 have bachelor’s degrees) and tend to be suburban communities in metropolitan areas.  Walnut Creek, Calif. (San Francisco Bay Area), Coral Gables, Fla. (Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach area), and Wheaton, Ill. (Chicago-Naperville-Joliet Area) all fall under the Gold Coast classification.

Meltingpot cities (75,000 to 100,000) are diverse (33% foreign born residents), dense cities (avg. 8,000 people per square mile) that have many families with young children (47%).  These cities are primarily located in the Pacific region and include cities like Hawthorn and Norwalk, Calif.

Metro Centers represent roughly 9% of American cities.  These are large (more than 200,000 people), core cities in metro areas that are diverse and have an older housing stock (44 years old).  Norfolk, Va. and Takoma, Wash. are classified as Metro Centers.

Boomtowns (75,000 to 100,000) are identified as rapid population growth cities with new housing stock (21 years old), wealthy residents, and families with children (43%).  Gilbert, Ariz. and Broken Arrow, Okla. are examples of boomtowns.

Centervilles (less than 50,000 population) are the final classification of cities.  These municipalities are primarily core cities in micropolitan areas and are the smallest and least dense cities (2,000 people per square mile) in the study.  Cities like Paducah, Ky. and Richmond, Ind. are similar to principal cities of metropolitan areas in that they perform more urban-like functions, but they still maintain their rural character.

Although most of the U.S. population lives in one of these six types of cities, there are undoubtedly other classifications for the 19,000 total cities in America that would broaden this working framework.  This report attempts to expand on the traditional labels that have limited municipalities to urban, suburban, or rural tags.  A diverse citizenry, shifting service demands, and evolving economic structures are just a few of the reasons the NLC sought to find a more useful framework for policy makers and researchers to use in understanding local challenges, discovering innovative strategies, and identifying policy options.

For more information on this study, e-mail Carlos Gutierrez, with NAHB's State & Local Poltical Operations department, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8242.  [ return to top ]