Spatial interactions among US cities: 1900-1990

We test implications of economic geography by exploring spatial interaction s among U.S. cities. We use a data set consisting of 1900-1990 metro area p opulations, and spatial measures including distance from the nearest larger city in a higher-tier, adjacency, and location within U.S. regions. We als o date cities from their time of settlement. We find that among cities whic h enter the system, larger cities are more likely to locate near other citi es. Moreover, older cities are more likely to have neighbors. Distance from the nearest higher-tier city is not always a significant determinant of si ze and growth. We find no evidence of persistent non-linear effects on urba n growth of either size or distance, although distance is important for cit y size for some years. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V, All rights reserved.