Growth effects of urban-rural and intra-regional linkages on counties and communities in the U.S.

This dissertation investigates the population growth effects of urban-rural and intra-regional linkages in the United States. This dissertation follows the three paper format. The first paper (Chapter 2) investigates the construct reliability of a nodality-based spatial structure scheme for U.S. metropolitan regions. Using a broad literature review of the relationships between monocentrism, polycentrism, and economic and demographic variables, I develop hypotheses regarding theoretical characteristics of monocentric and polycentric regions. I test these hypotheses using data from regions defined by the nodality-based spatial structure scheme as monocentric or polycentric. In general, I find that while the drivers of monocentricity are well understood in the literature and are reflected in the empirically classified monocentric regions, our theoretical understanding of and our ability to detect polycentricity are not as robust. This underscores the need to investigate further the growth effects of urban-rural and intra-regional linkages. In the second paper (Chapter 3) I investigate the growth effects in non-metropolitan places of growth in proximate Metropolitan Statistical Areas. This chapter concludes that while commuting plays a critical role in delivering the benefits of urban growth to non-metropolitan places, economic linkages and commodity flows likely play a much more significant role. Additionally, there is evidence that non-metropolitan places develop to suit the demands of the nearest city, rather than participating in more global markets, though much future work could be done in this area. In the third paper (Chapter 4) I investigate spatial heterogeneity in the relationship between commuting and migration in a broad region around Chicago. This chapter supports earlier research findings that population deconcentration is driving the spatial expansion of economic activity, but that the drivers of that deconcentration vary significantly across space.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Regional Planning

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2010

Author dc:creator

• Ganning, Joanna P.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Lee, Bumsoo
• Baylis, Katherine R.
• Hewings, Geoffrey J.D.
• McLafferty, Sara L.

• spatial structure
• spread-backwash effects
• regional development
• deconcentration and restructuring
• spatial econometrics
• urban-rural interface

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2010 Joanna P. Ganning

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/16062

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/16062