A Functional Classification of Cities in the United States

Abstract

THAT cities differ in function has long been recognized. Functional types such as industrial, commercial, mining, university, and resort towns have been differentiated by numerous writers, and outstanding examples of each have been cited.' However, the literature on the functions of cities, although suggestive, is sadly deficient in studies of criteria for distinguishing types and in classifications including more than a few well known type examples.2 The present paper attempts to remedy these deficiencies by proposing a quantitative method of functional analysis and by submitting a classification of American, cities based on that method.