This document discusses concepts related to metropolitan and suburban areas. It begins by defining Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) as urban areas with 50,000 or more people that represent cities, and Microropolitan Statistical Areas (M-PSAs) as smaller areas with 10,000-50,000 people that represent suburban areas beyond cities. It then discusses factors related to suburban growth and sprawl over the 20th century, as well as issues of social class, race, poverty, and politics in cities and suburbs.

1. POL 240-01
Fall 2015

3.  U.S. Constitution
 Federal: Articles I, II, and III (Three Branches)
 State and Local: Tenth Amendment
 State Constitutions
 Organization / powers of state and local govt.
 “Hole” at regional level
 No legal foundations or tradition

4. INSTRUCTIONS
Where did you grow up? (U.S. State, Country Province, etc.)
Describe this location. How would you classify it?
Urban? Suburban? Rural?
What features of the location made you classify in this way?
Where do you want to live after graduation?
City? Suburbs? Rural Area?
What will this choice be based on?

7. METROPOLITAN
STATISTICAL AREA (MSA)
 Urban area with 50,000 or
more people
 Represents city
MICROPOLITAN
STATISTICAL AREA (M-PSA)
 Smaller area with 10,000-
50,000 people
 Represents suburban area
beyond city

10. MSA’s in Kentucky include cities in Kentucky
such as Lexington, Owensboro, and Bowling Green.
Other MSA’s include other states such as Cincinnati, OH,
Evansville, IN, Ashland, WV, and Clarksville,TN.

11. Media Markets in Pennsylvania

12.  Economic Growth
 Heterogeneity
 Ethnic and Racial Diversity
 Conflict
 Interdependence
 Fragmentation

14.  Suburban growth patterns vary across U.S.
 Many different kind of suburbs:
 Industrial
 Residential
 Black
 Wealthy
 Working-Class
 “Boomburgs” / “Exurbs”

15.  Suburbs grew over 20th century due to
advancements in transportation
 Led to Job Sprawl

16.  First Wave (1920’s)
 Mass production of cars
 Slowed during GD and WWII
 Second Wave (1950’s)
 “Malling of America”
 Rise of Levittown
 ThirdWave (1980’s)
 “Exit Ramp Economy”

18.  What is the “metropolitan problem”?
 Failure to achieve wide-spread consensus on
policy questions and govt. institutions

19.  Social Class
 Occupation, Income, Education
 Suburbs:White-collar, college grads, wealthy families
 Familism: Doing things for “the kids”
 Race
 Suburbs less diverse than cities
 Suburban integration changing this a bit
 “Melting Pot Metros” – DC, Chicago, Houston, NYC

20.  Poverty
 Cites: Low income, low education, unskilled
 Social problems found in cities (crime, poverty)
 Middle class moving to the ‘burbs
 Party Affiliation
 Cities = Democrats (low-income, labor, race)
 Suburbs = Republicans (middle-class, WASPs)
 Cost of Government
 Cities = More $$ than suburbs
 Public services provisions (police, recreation, health)
 Suburbs = Lower taxes than cities

22.  Sprawl: Outward extension of residential and
commercial development from a city
 Characteristics of Sprawl
 What causes sprawl?
 Preferred lifestyle for many
 Businesses may move to suburbs

23.  New Urbanists argue sprawl increases highway
costs, water/sewer services, busing
 Belief that Compactness = Efficiency
 Principles of Smart Growth:
 Range of housing options
 Walkable neighborhoods
 Development decisions are fair
 Preserve open space, farmland, environment
 Variety of transportation choices

26. REGIONALISM
(METROPOLITANCONSOLIDATION)
 Cost of Public Services
 Coordination of Public
Services
 Equality
 Responsibility
LOCALISM
(FRAGMENTED GOVERNMENT)
 Identity
 Access
 Effectiveness
 Influence
 Schools