1. The Growth (and Decline) of the Suburbs
AP Human Geography

2. Background Info
: People leave rural areas for urban and cities such as Chicago experience rapid growth.
1950 (post-WWII): 20% of American’s live in suburbs, 40% in small towns and 40% in big cities.
2000: 50% live in suburbs, 30% in cities, 20% in small towns and rural areas.
The pattern? First the growth of cities, then the growth of suburbs, and now the decline of suburbs?

3. Annexation
Historically, cities grew larger (land) by annexing neighboring suburbs.
Today, suburban residents prefer to remain suburban. Why?
Originally, cities provided better services.
Schools, water, police, sewers, etc.
Today, suburbs can provide own services for cheaper (usually higher quality too)

4. Levels of Urbanization
City- independent, self- governing unit.
Ex. Chicago
Urbanized area- central city and surrounding suburbs.
70% live in urbanized areas (30% in city, 40% in burbs)
Ex. Chicago and surrounding suburbs
Metropolitan statistical area (MSA)
The area of influence of a city (functional area)
Ex. Chicagoland area, including parts of Indiana and Wisconsin.

5. Levels of Urbanization

6. Megalopolis
A string of MSA’s that overlap, creating one large, connected urban area.
U.S. East coast from Boston to Washington DC.
Think of cookies melting together.

7. Peripheral Model/ Edge City
Chauncy Harris
Nodes (edge Cities) located outside of the CBD
Concentration of business, shopping, and entertainment outside a traditional urban area in what had recently been a residential suburb or semi- rural community.
Develops on the periphery of a larger city.

8. Chicagoland Edge Cities

9. Suburban Sprawl
Sprawl refers to the spread of urbanized areas, specifically the suburbs, into undeveloped rural areas.
Suburbs grew rapidly following WWII and were still growing at a rapid pace until the housing crisis of the mid-2000’s.
Now, some suburban housing developments sit vacant and have been foreclosed by banks.
Negative impacts
Less farmland
Unsightly developments
Loss of natural areas
Spread out…..requires auto

10. Sprawl in Las Vegas

11. Sprawl in Chicago

12. Smart Growth Limit the negative impacts of suburban sprawl.
Greenbelts in Europe
Areas of wilderness/ forest between urban developments
New Urbanism
Walkable neighborhoods that have various housing options and businesses.
Return to “downtown” areas
Reduce the need for auto
Parks, squares, gardens
Environmentally friendly

13. Examples
New Urbanism
Greenbelts

14. Proposed Development at 87th and the Lake

15. Roosevelt Collection

16. Foreclosures

17. End of the suburbs?
Many experts believe that the expansion of the suburbs in the U.S. has come to an end.
Why?
Baby boomer generation getting old
People having fewer children
Cities are desirable for younger people as gentrification occurs.