Lognormal city size distribution and distance

González-Val, Rafael (2019): Lognormal city size distribution and distance.

Abstract

This paper analyses whether the size distribution of nearby cities is lognormally distributed by using a distance-based approach. We use data from three different definitions of US cities in 2010, considering all possible combinations of cities within a 300-mile radius. The results indicate that support for the lognormal distribution decreases with distance, although the lognormal distribution cannot be rejected in most of the cases for distances below 100 miles.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: space, city size distribution, distance-based approach, lognormal distribution
• Subjects: C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C1 - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General > C12 - Hypothesis Testing: General; C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C1 - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General > C14 - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General; R - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics > R1 - General Regional Economics > R12 - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity

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