Growing resources for growing cities: Density and the cost of municipal public services in Latin America

Nora Libertun de Duren and Roberto Guerrero Compeán
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Nora Libertun de Duren: Inter-American Development Bank, USA
Roberto Guerrero Compeán: Inter-American Development Bank, USA
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Roberto Guerrero Compeán

Urban Studies, 2016, vol. 53, issue 14, 3082-3107

Abstract: We find that per capita municipal spending on public services is strongly and non-linearly correlated to urban population density. Optimal expenditure levels for municipal services are achieved with densities close to 9000 residents per square kilometre. In our study of about 8600 municipalities of Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Mexico, 85% of all municipalities are below this ideal density level. This result provides strong policy support for densification, particularly in medium-sized cities of developing countries, which are currently absorbing most of the world’s urban population growth.

Keywords: Densification; Latin America; optimal expenditure; public services; urban density (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:53:y:2016:i:14:p:3082-3107

DOI: 10.1177/0042098015601579

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