The Size Distribution Across All “Cities”: A Unifying Approach

Kristian Giesen () and Jens Suedekum

No 6352, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: In this paper we show that the double Pareto lognormal (DPLN) parameterization provides an excellent fit to the overall US city size distribution, regardless of whether "cities" are administratively defined Census places or economically defined area clusters. We then consider an economic model that combines scale-independent urban growth (Gibrat's law) with endogenous city creation. City sizes converge to a DPLN distribution in this model, which is much better in line with the data than previous urban growth frameworks that predict a lognormal or a Pareto city size distribution (Zipf's law).

Keywords: city size distributions; Gibrat's law; Zipf's law; double Pareto-Lognormal (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O4 R11 R12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 16 pages
Date: 2012-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-geo and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Published - substantially revised version pubslished as 'City age and city size' in: European Economic Review, 2014, 71,193-208

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Related works:
Working Paper: The Size Distribution Across All 'Cities': A Unifying Approach (2012)
Working Paper: The Size Distribution across all "Cities": A Unifying Approach (2012)
Working Paper: The size distribution across all "Cities": a unifying approach (2012)
Working Paper: The size distribution across all “cities”: a unifying approach (2012)
Working Paper: The size distribution across all 'cities': A unifying approach (2012)
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