Analysis of a Metropolitan Area Case Study

Analysis of a Metropolitan Area
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Analysis of a Metropolitan Area
Manifestation of a stable understanding of a metropolitan area in the U.S. bears significance to resource distribution and utilization in that area. The U.S. is concerned about equitable distribution of developmental resources, and various metropolitan areas provide demarcations on what every community in the U.S. needs. Metropolitan areas are also more productive if compared to smaller urban agglomerations and rural areas. The size and population densities of metropolitan areas have been found impactful when assessing productivity level factors such as the existence of talent, natural resources, and educational facilities. This paper will analyze the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan area with specific emphasis on its key aspects, including the growth of the area, commuting patterns, the spatial distribution of population, spatial distribution of employment, and factors affecting real estate prices in the area. The analysis of the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan area opens an avenue to understand its productivity level presently and the trajectory it is engineering to match the challenges of the future.
Spatial Distribution of Population
Spatial population distribution is one factor that mirrors the productivity of different counties in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan area. The population growth of Providence-Warwick has stayed in a positive trajectory since 1900 (FRED, 2019). In 1900, the population stood at 632,832. That number grew to 1,582,997 in 2000. By 2010, a notable growth in the population had been experienced, with the total number reached 1,600,852. That represented a more than 70% increase in population in 100 years. By 2019, the population of Providence-Warwick was 1,624,578 representing a 1.5% growth from the 2010 number. Going by the current rate, it is predictable that more people are poised to seek residence in Providence-Warwick metropolitan area soon.
The population of the Providence-Warwick metropolitan area is distributed throughout its major cities and villages. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA covers an area of 1,587 square miles. Currently, the population is distributed to mark 1,023.7 people per square mile (FRED, 2019). Going by the prevalent data, more than 80% of the Providence-Warwick population stays in urban centers. Some of the most populated towns in the area include Providence accounting for 179,494 people, Cranston with 81,254, Warwick with 80, 993, Pawtucket with a population of 71,844. The other towns with a significant amount of individuals in the area include East Province, Woonsocket, Coventry, Cumberland, and North Province. Various factors, including industries, housing, and transportation networks, bear influence like population distribution in Providence-Warwick metropolitan area. For instance, Providence, the most populated city in the metropolitan, also has the highest number of industries and transportation networks. People live in places with vibrant economic activities with factors such as access and social amenities becoming second-tier influencers to the population.
The population distribution also differs through different races in the different counties of Providence-Warwick, RI-MA. The total population in Bristol is 565,217 in a 1,433 km2 area. That marks a population density of 394.033 people per km2. 88% of Bristol residents are whites, followed by African Americans at 6.1% (Data USA). The other ethnic groups in Bristol are Asians and Pacific Islanders, who occupy a smaller portion of the county. In Kent, the total population is 164,292 in a 436.5km2 area. Kent's population density stands at 376.4 people per km2. More than 90% of the population of Kent are white, with African Americans, Asians, and Latinos combining to constitute less than 8% of the population. The same trends are evident in Newport, where the total population is 82,082 in a 265.2 km2 area. The population density of Newport is 309.5 people per km2. Like in Kent, more than 90% of the population is white, with the minority ethnic groups constituting less than 9% of the population (Data USA). Overall, with an average of 0.16% annual population change, Providence-Warwick, RI-MA is poised to show different figures in its spatial distribution of population. The growth of the population marks the onset of changes in other aspects of production in the metropolitan area.
Commuting Patterns
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan area intends to steer its productivity index through a fluent transportation network. Cars are the primary mode of commuter transportation in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA. In 2018, 81.3% of workers in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA, drove alone to work (Data USA). 8.54% carpooled to work, while 3.75% of the working population at Providence-Warwick, RI-MA, worked at home in 2018. The average number of cars per household is two cars. More people own cars in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA if compared to the national statistics. The other modes of commuting have marked a significant share in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA (Data USA). The use of motorcycles is becoming less popular, especially in 2018 when only 0.0127% of the population preferred commuting to work on motorcycles. That is a significant decline from 2015 when commuting using motorcycles reached its peak with 0.227% of the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA population preferring that mode of transport. The number of people carpooling has remained constant for the past 10 years. Additionally, an annual average of 3.43% of the working population prefers to walk to work (George Mason University). Other modes of transit that are fast becoming popular in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA include taxi, railway, and bicycles. The choice of mode of commuting depends on multiple factors, including the distance and frequency of use. The following bar graphs show car ownership in Providence-Warwick metropolitan area in comparison to the national ownership indices through 2018:
Various modes of public commuting have been structured to suit the needs of commuters within Providence-Warwick, RI-MA. Rail transport is one of the most popular modes in the area. The Massachusetts Bay Transport Authority (MBTA) operates a commuter rail that connects Boston to different terminals in the metropolitan area. Some of the traditional terminals served include Attleboro, South Attleboro, and Providence. In 2012, the commuter rail extended its services to accommodate Rhode Island, North Kingston's Wickford Junction, and Warwick's T.F Green Airport (Data USA). MBTA is currently planning to extend its services to accommodate New Bedford and Fall River. Increased penetration of rail transport should change the popularity of cars considering the cheaper cost of traveling through rails.
Bus transit is another popular avenue of commuting in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA boasts of two interstate roads: 195 running east from Providence into Massachusetts and 95 running diagonally across Rhode Island. The 35 and 39 Rhode Island communities are majorly served by a local bus transit for the state-operated by the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) (Data USA). RIPTA, besides operating 55 bus lines, also operates a paratransit service and a Flexx service. The Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) also serves from Scituate to Bourne, Franklin-Wrentham-Norfolk-Medway-Bellingham, and Pawtucket to Middleboro. Southeastern Regional Transit Authority (SRTA) offers other services that offer services to locals in New Bedford and Fall River to Massachusetts.
The last common mode of transport in the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA is air transport. T.F Green Airport is the busiest airport in the metropolitan area. However, the Logan International Airport in Boston is also used occasionally. In the greater Boston area, additional air transport flexibility is offered through the MBTA Stoughton-Providence line services that pass through the T.F Green Airport. It is worth remarking that there are also seasonal ferry services between Newport and Providence. The ferry only works from late May to mid-October. As noted, the choice of mode of transport depends on the individuals' urgency or preference as there are multiple options from which to choose.
A few factors are poised to affect the nature ...