Suburbanization and the "Malling of America"

The suburbanization of jobs and people in America has been well-documented and studied by those with an interest in urban affairs. In this article, the locational interrelationships between various activities over time are investigated using temporal data for several urban areas. The results confirm earlier studies which suggest that "jobs follow people," not vice versa, and also indicate that large retail firms have been a driving force in the suburbanization process. This latter conclusion has important policy implications in urban areas where the development of suburban malls has been challenged by central city interests.