1. Distribution of Services

2. Central Place Theory
Explains why consumer services follow a regular pattern based on size of settlements.
It provides a framework for the relationship between settlements of different sizes, and their ability to provide goods and services.
Proposed by Walter Christaller in the 1930s
Remember!
CPT ONLY deals with CONSUMER services!

3. Central Place Theory
Central place -

4. Central Place Is The Market Center
A central place is the market center for the exchange of goods and services.
It is centrally located to maximize accessibility.

5. Central Place Theory
Hinterland/Market Area -

6. Hinterland (Market Area) of A Service
The area surrounding a service from which customers are attracted Note- market areas are examples of nodal regions

7. Central Place Theory
Range -
Distance

8. Range
Range- the maximum distance people are willing to travel to use it:
people travel short distances for everyday services groceries and movie rentals… “low order goods”
people travel greater distances for exclusive services like concerts and professional sporting events… “high order goods”

9. Central Place Theory
Threshold -
Distance

10. Threshold
Threshold- the minimum number of people needed to support the service

11. Why Hexagons?
Circles are equidistant from center to edge, but they overlap or leave gaps.
Squares nest together without gaps, but their sides are not equidistant from the center.
Hexagons offer a compromise between geometric properties of circles and squares.

12. “Nesting” of Services and Settlements
The number of Services and size of a Settlement are Positively correlated!!!
Different levels of market area exist:
Metropolis
City
Town
Village
Hamlet
Decreasing Population &
Number of Services

13. Consumer Service Providers Determine Profitability of a Location By…
Step 1:
Range survey local residents about willingness to travel a specific amount of time to the potential site of a new store
Step 2:
Threshold identify how many patrons are needed to meet expenses
Step 3:
Market Area draw the range around potential location of new store, then identify whether or not the threshold is met within that radius

14. Low Order vs High Order Goods and Services
1 Day

15. Burgers and Fries… Low Order

16. Sizzling Steaks… High Order

17. Chevrolet…Low Order

18. Ferrari…High Order

19. NEISD Distribution of Schools
Elementary
High Schools
Middle Schools
Low - Order
High - Order

20. You Think YOUR Bus Ride is Bad?
Click to read!

21. The Services Hierarchy

22. San Antonio- Austin Corridor