Metropolitan area

About: Metropolitan area is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 26029 publications have been published within this topic receiving 385648 citations. The topic is also known as: metro & metro area.

The Causes of Regional Variations in U.S. Poverty: A Cross-County Analysis

Abstract: The persistence of poverty in the modern American economy, with rates of poverty in some areas approaching those of less advanced economies, remains a central concern among policy makers. Therefore, in this study we use U.S. county-level data to explore potential explanations for the observed regional variation in the rates of poverty. The use of counties allows examination of both non-metropolitan area and metropolitan area poverty. Factors considered include those that relate to both area economic performance and area demographic composition. Specific county economic factors examined include economic growth, industry restructuring, and labor market skills mismatches.

Metropolitan Development as a Complex System: A New Approach to Sustainability

Abstract: A major national debate is under way about the effects of the regulation of development and land use patterns on metropolitan economies. Because this is often framed around whether sprawling development patterns are harmful or beneficial to the economy and environment, we are seemingly presented with an either/or choice. This article asserts that the debate misses the reality that metropolitan development occurs as part of a complex system. If we view metropolitan development as a complex system, there is no fundamental conflict between environmental goals and economic development. Examining the case of California, the authors demonstrate how the relationship between these is part of a larger system involving fiscal policy, governance structure, infrastructure policy, and other factors. The authors propose three strategies for improving metropolitan system performance to ensure sustainable metropolitan economies and environments: developing and using indicators for self-organizing urban systems, collabora...

Do Colleges and Universities Increase Their Region's Human Capital? Staff Report No. 401.

Abstract: We investigate whether the degree production and R&D activities of colleges and universities are related to the amount and types of human capital in the metropolitan areas where they are located. Our results indicate only a small positive relationship exists between a metropolitan area’s production and stock of human capital, suggesting that migration plays an important role in the geographic distribution of human capital. We also find that academic R&D activities increase local human capital levels, suggesting that spillovers from such activities can raise the demand for human capital. Consistent with these results, we show that metropolitan areas with more higher education activity tend to have a larger share of workers in high human capital occupations. Thus, this research indicates that colleges and universities can raise local human capital levels by increasing both the supply of and demand for skill.

Immigration, Globalisation and House Prices in Canada's Gateway Cities

Abstract: This paper begins by examining house price movements in eight metropolitan areas in Canada between 1971 and 1996. At the start of this period there was considerable conformity in price levels among the eight centres, but by the mid-1990s wide disparity in the price structure had emerged, with Vancouver and Toronto (and their satellites) having broken away from the rest as a result of rapid price inflation after 1985. At the same time, the cities showing the most marked gains also suffered the heaviest losses during economic downturns. The geography and timing of rapid price inflation coincided with the onset of heavy and concentrated immigration in Toronto and Vancouver after 1985, and the remainder of the paper considers the relations in these cities between price change and globalisation in general, immigration in particular. In both cities, and especially Vancouver, aside from growth in the provincial GDP, conventional regional and national factors seem to have declining significance in accounting for ...

Job Accessibility as an Indicator of Auto-Oriented Urban Structure: A Comparison of Boston and Los Angeles with Tokyo

Abstract: Studies suggest that sprawling and auto-oriented development patterns present more difficulties for people without cars to access economic opportunities. We examine intrametropolitan and intermetropolitan variations in job accessibility by commuting mode as an indicator of auto-oriented urban structure, selecting Boston, Los Angeles, and Tokyo as study areas. Although in both US and Japanese metropolitan areas, job accessibility is significantly lower for public transit users than for auto users, job accessibility for public transit users in the US cases is strikingly lower than in Tokyo. The international comparison provides a clear picture of the significant disadvantage in accessing job opportunities encountered by US workers who are unable to use private vehicles. The empirical results uncover an important dimension of urban structure that deserves much attention from planners and policymakers.