Rural-urban scaling of age, mortality, crime and property reveals a loss of expected self-similar behaviour.

ABSTRACT: The urban scaling hypothesis has improved our understanding of cities; however, rural areas have been neglected. We investigated rural-urban population density scaling in England and Wales using 67 indicators of crime, mortality, property, and age. Most indicators exhibited segmented scaling about a median critical density of 27 people per hectare. Above the critical density, urban regions preferentially attract young adults (25-40 years) and lose older people (> 45 years). Density scale adjusted metrics (DSAMs) were analysed using hierarchical clustering, networks, and self-organizing maps (SOMs) revealing regional differences and an inverse relationship between excess value of property transactions and a range of preventable mortality (e.g. diabetes, suicide, lung cancer). The most strik

SUBMITTER: Sutton J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7545192 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature