Suburban Explosion
“Welcome to LA!” say signs in the Los Angeles International Airport. Most people seeing these signs are visitors. They have come to Los Angeles for business or to see the sights. But some are people who have come to stay. While growth has dwindled in recent years, the LA metropolitan area is still growing by more than 70,000 new residents a year. A metropolitan area is a major city and its surrounding suburbs.
Today 8 out of 10 people in the United States and Canada live in a metropolitan area. In the United States, New York City ranks first with more than 18 million people. In Canada, Toronto leads the way with more than 5 million residents. These two metropolitan areas have followed a similar pattern of growth.
Rank City State Population
1 New York New York 8,336,697
2 Los Angeles California 3,857,799
3 Chicago Illinois 2,714,856
4 Houston Texas 2,160,821
5 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 1,547,607
6 Phoenix Arizona 1,488,750
7 San Antonio Texas 1,382,951
8 San Diego California 1,338,348
9 Dallas Texas 1,241,162
10 San Jose California 982,765
11 Austin Texas 842,592
The Old Walking City: The Urban Core The oldest Canadian and American cities were founded during colonial times. At that time, cities had to be small enough for people to get around on foot or by horse. Homes and workplaces were in one small area. Today that old “walking city” is a city’s urban core. People often think of this urban core as their city’s “downtown” or business district.
By the 1890s, many cities were bursting at their seams with people. Around that time, electric streetcars and commuter rail lines were developed. People began to build homes near these rail lines. They took trains or streetcars into the city center to work and shop. As a result, the urban core began to bulge outward along rail lines.
Suburbs Around the City: The Urban Fringe By the 1920s, cars were becoming part of American life. No longer did city dwellers have to live near a rail line to get to their jobs. They could buy a car and commute.
As cars became common, people began to build new housing areas farther away from the old urban core. In time, suburbs ringed most cities. These suburbs formed a new urban fringe.
As people moved out of the urban core, some businesses moved out, too. The loss of people and businesses led to decay in older city neighborhoods. Meanwhile, people in the suburbs built their own town centers. These new communities were complete with shops, businesses, theaters, and parks.
Where City Meets Country: The Rural Fringe Beyond the urban fringe lies an area with fewer people. Here, small towns mix with farms and open space. These less-developed areas form a rural fringe around a metropolitan area. This rural fringe is connected to the city by roads and highways.
As populations grow, more and more of the rural fringe is developed. New homes, schools, shopping centers, and business parks seem to spring up almost overnight. Some people see this growth as a sign of progress. Others see it as harmful urban sprawl.
As cars became common, people began to build new housing areas farther away from the old urban core. In time, suburbs ringed most cities. These suburbs formed a new urban fringe.
As people moved out of the urban core, some businesses moved out, too. The loss of people and businesses led to decay in older city neighborhoods. Meanwhile, people in the suburbs built their own town centers. These new communities were complete with shops, businesses, theaters, and parks.
Where City Meets Country: The Rural Fringe Beyond the urban fringe lies an area with fewer people. Here, small towns mix with farms and open space. These less-developed areas form a rural fringe around a metropolitan area. This rural fringe is connected to the city by roads and highways.
As populations grow, more and more of the rural fringe is developed. New homes, schools, shopping centers, and business parks seem to spring up almost overnight. Some people see this growth as a sign of progress. Others see it as harmful urban sprawl.