Metropolitan Areas

Urban vs. rural is just one example of the many false dichotomies presented as fact during the presidential campaign. A more nuanced understanding of these terms reveals more of the country's real character.

August 5, 2016 - Brookings

As urban economies continue their upward trajectory, residents of counties once considered rural are commuting to cities. This has had both negative and positive effects on the communities in question.

June 22, 2016 - StatChat

Academia's "two-body problem" may be affecting other industries as women pursue more specialized careers and marry similarly educated men. Two-career couples are likely to gravitate toward larger metro areas with job opportunities for both partners.

November 10, 2015 - StatChat: the blog of the UVA Demographics Research Group

According to a Denver Post article, the Denver metropolitan area has 31,000 homes in the development pipeline. All but 2,600 of those homes would be built in suburban counties surrounding Denver.

March 12, 2015 - Denver Post

A new report by the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program analyzes the growth of the world's 300 largest metropolitan areas.

January 23, 2015 - Brookings

A new plan is afoot in Britain that will devolve centralized power away from central government and out into metropolitan areas. Bruce Katz sees lessons for the United States in the experience of United Kingdom.

October 28, 2014 - Brookings

Will a large city do what its county voters refused to do—fund the county bus system, though largely within city limits? Seattle voters will be put to the test in November when asked to pay an annual $60 vehicle fee and 0.1% sales tax.

July 20, 2014 - The Seattle Times

It's a pattern seen as recently as two years ago in metro Atlanta: a crucial transit measure wins in the central city but dies in the more populous suburbs. The fix is to craft a city-only transit initiative—just what advocates in Seattle will do.

April 28, 2014 - KUOW

According to new analysis by Nate Silver, New York City might be more aptly described as the city that sleeps in.

April 23, 2014 - Five Thirty Eight

New Census data describes the country’s movement toward large metropolitan areas. Following the recent population growth in cities like Houston and New York, nearly one in three Americans reside in the country’s ten most populated cities.

March 31, 2014 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

Chuck Eckenstahler examines the “Benton Harbor Rule”—the desired funding and support that comes from a designation by the federal government as “metropolitan.” But does the “metropolitan” designation pay off as intended?

March 12, 2014 - Urbanophile

The United State Conference of Mayors recently released a report projecting moderate growth for almost all of the country’s metropolitan areas. A survey of coverage on the report reveals multiple readings of the state of the economy.

January 31, 2014 - New Geography

In an essay adapted from their new book, Jennifer Bradley and Bruce Katz examine America's traditional 'dual sovereignty' federalism. They argue that metropolitan areas should play a greater role in governance through a collaborative federalism.

June 18, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

A Brookings Institute report shows that the difference between crime in the suburbs and cities has drastically decreased, and argues that the current drop in crime rates weakens the correlation between ethnic groups and crime.

July 6, 2011 - The Brookings Institution

Regional business planning and cooperation at the metropolitan level is creating hubs of prosperity in the U.S.

April 12, 2011 - Brookings Institution

Using data from the 2010 U.S. Census, Salon lists out 10 urban areas where race segregation is most prevalent.

April 2, 2011 - Salon

This latest report from The Brookings Institution tracks economic recovery in 100 American metropolitan areas

March 21, 2011 - The Brookings Institution

Suggestions of a county seceding from the Atlanta Regional Commission could threaten transportation funding in the region and hurt those towns looking to bow out, according to this column.

October 28, 2010 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Brookings says that the old distinctions no longer apply; we're headed into an era of "Next Frontier", "New Heartland" and "Diverse Giant" metros.

June 7, 2010 - Smart Planet

Only 16 of 384 metropolitan areas saw job increases over the last year, according to a new study.

April 24, 2010 - MSNBC