Cities can be undersold or oversold in equal measure, but they never fail to present a shortage of data. With its #citydata series, This Big City explores the sometimes surprising facts about cities that emerge from the din of urban life.
The latest installment of the #citydata series presents ten data vignettes about the facts of life in and around the city. Below are listed some of the more revelatory of the statistics, with some recent coverage thrown in for good measure:
- “30 cities across the United States engaged in planning or building street car systems.” (Although at least one city planned its system on the back of a napkin.)
- “10-12 passengers die each day on Mumbai Trains.” (But developing countries have a serious road death problem.)
- “7.1 million Americans moved to a different state in 2012.” (A recently produced infographic provides a beautiful visualization of the country’s migration patterns.)
FULL STORY: #citydata: Ten Facts About Cities (Part 6)

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness
A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
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