The New “Megapolitan” Geography of the United States
Until 1900, most people in the United States lived in rural areas. Over the next half century, America’s central cities accounted for most of the nation’s population. By 1980, the urban population was comprised mostly of suburban residents but the rise of suburbia belied a more fundamental shift in America’s economic geography. Using rigorous analytic techniques, Dr. Nelson and his colleagues have created a new view of America’s economic geography: the rise of Megapolitan America. By 2040, America will be comprised of 23 economic regions composed of multiple core-based statistical areas that form a coherent economic unit. Nelson and his colleagues argue that for America to be globally competitive, it needs to leverage the economic advantages these Megapoltian areas offer.
Robert E. Lang and Arthur C. Nelson. 2008. Defining Megapolitan Regions. In Catherine B. Ross and Cheryl Contant, eds., Megaregions: Planning for Global Competitiveness Washington, DC: Island Press.