Full Citation

Title: Understanding urbanization: A study of census and satellite-derived urban classes in the United States, 1990-2010

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2020

ISBN:

ISSN: 19326203

DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0208487

NSFID:

PMCID:

PMID: 30586443

Abstract: BACKGROUND Spatial population models are important to inform understanding of historical demographic development patterns and to project possible future changes, especially for use in anticipating environmental interactions. OBJECTIVE We document, calibrate, and evaluate a high-resolution gravity-based population downscaling model for each US state and interpret its historical urban and rural spatial population change patterns. METHODS We estimate two free parameters that govern the spatial population change pattern using the historical population grids of each state. We interpret the resulting parameters in light of the spatial development pattern they represent. We evaluate the model by comparing the resulting total population grid of each state in 2010 against its census-based grid. We also analyze the temporal stability of parameters across the 1990–2000 and 2000–2010 decades. RESULTS Our analysis indicates varying levels of performance across states and population types. While our results suggest a consolidated change pattern in urban population across states, rural population change patterns are diverse. We find urban parameters are more stable. CONCLUSIONS The model’s adaptability, performance, and interpretability indicate its potential for depicting historical state-level spatial population changes. It assigns these changes to different representative categories to assist interpretation.

Url: https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol43/54/references.htm

User Submitted?: No

Authors: O'Neill, Brian; Zoraghein, Hamidreza

Periodical (Full): Demographic Research

Issue: 54

Volume: 43

Pages: 1563-1606

Data Collections: IPUMS NHGIS

Topics: Population Data Science

Countries: