Social / Demographics

The World's Most Desirable Country

Iceland slips past Norway to rank first in the latest United Nations Development Index. The U.S. slips four places to 12th place.

November 28, 2007 - Christian Madera

Riding The Train Of Dreams To Mumbai

This article looks at the changing demographics in India, and a train that shovels thousands of rural Indians to Mumbai every day to follow their dreams.

November 27, 2007 - The New York Times

Debunking Canada's 'Urban' Legend

An outdated statistical definition of "urban" has contributed to a gross overestimation of Canada's urban population, argues Roy MacGregor.

November 27, 2007 - The Globe & Mail

The Need For Planning In An Aging Society

Community design, the availability of amenities, and ease of mobility have a tremendous impact on the aging population, but the 50+ community is often ignored when these elements are being planned.

November 26, 2007 - Robert Hodder

Beauty And Brains

Vancouver has been named one of the world's "smartest" cities in a recent list, which also includes cities from Australia, Ohio, Scotland, and India.

November 21, 2007 - The Vancouver Sun

Baghdad's Babysteps Back To Normality

City life edges back towards normalisty in Baghdad where residents are noticing improvements in security and lower rates of violence. More people are traveling across the city and staying out at night, and even the liquor stores are opening back up.

November 20, 2007 - The New York Times

Enabling Retirees To Stay Put

Retirees are less inclined to move out of their homes as they ages, so a cooperative group in Connecticut is creating a network amongst retirees and service providers to enable people to stay put.

November 20, 2007 - The New York Times

New York And Berlin In Parallel

The development patterns of New York and Berlin have some striking similarities, according to a new exhibition looking at the circumstances influencing each of the cities.

November 20, 2007 - The New York Times

'Most Dangerous Cities' List Released, Met With Criticism

The latest report on America's most dangerous cities has been released, and Detroit is once again at the top. Critics are bashing the study, saying the FBI crime statistics it is based on do not tell the whole story of each city.

November 19, 2007 - CNN

Alaska Grows And Grays

Demographers are estimating that the population of Alaska will surpass 800,000 by the year 2030. The population 65 and older is expected to grow the fastest between now and then.

November 19, 2007 - Anchorage Daily News

Washington Struggles With Housing Affordability

Housing affordability is becoming a major issue in Washington, where workers increasingly have to "drive to qualify".

November 19, 2007 - The Columbian

Freeway Seems Likely, But Residents Cry For Transit

Growth in the Western Salt Lake Valley is creating a need for better mobility. Plans are bubbling for an eight-lane freeway, and while many residents support the plan, others are calling on officials to consider transit options more seriously.

November 16, 2007 - The Salt Lake Tribune

Finding A Housing Balance: Houses Vs. Apartments

A planning expert in Wales is warning that many cities are endanger of pushing families out to the suburbs by focusing solely on high-density development.

November 14, 2007 - BBC News

The Suburbs Aren't Family Friendly After All

While hard-working families with children often head out to the suburbs for an affordable home, the hidden toll is the long commutes by car -- and its frequently women who bear the brunt of the costs.

November 13, 2007 - The Huffington Post

A 'Tsunami' of Homeless Veterans?

A new documentary portrays a grim new reality: veterans make up 25% of the homeless population in America -- a percentage which is expected to rise.

November 13, 2007 - AlterNet

High-Rise Proposals Spur Outrage In Paris

Officials in Paris plan to unveil sketches of high-rise developments proposed for the outer rings of the city -- a development type nearly two-thirds of Parisians oppose. Many argue that the aesthetic focus shortchanges social concerns in the city.

November 13, 2007 - The Guardian

Demographics Shift From Sydney To Melbourne

Rising home prices and cost of living are steering more Australians away from Sydney and towards Melbourne, creating a boom in population that has put the city on track to become the country's biggest city.

November 12, 2007 - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Combatting 'Food Deserts'

Chicago struggles to overcome its battle with "food deserts" -- areas in the city with little or now access to groceries.

November 11, 2007 - Chicago Sun-Times

America's Most Caffeinated Cities

Is your city addicted to caffeine? Need Coffee Dot Com shares a study commissioned by HealthSaver to determine the most and least wired of America's cities. And no, it's not Seattle.

November 11, 2007 - Need Coffee Dot Com

Friday Funny: Disney's 'Urban Adventure'

As the Disney Corporation and the city of Anaheim, California, squabble over a proposal to build affordable housing near the Happiest Place on Earth, Morris Newman suggests turning the affordable housing project into an "urban theme park".

November 9, 2007 - California Planning & Development Report

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.