The post-suburban era comes to Richmond: City decline, suburban transition, and exurban growth

Abstract

The Richmond, Virginia region is an example of a metropolitan area that has entered the post-suburban era. We define the post-suburban era in terms of inner suburban population loss and relative income decline, suburban employment increase, suburban outcommuting reduction, exurban population and income increase, and farmland conversion. The post-suburban era involves the maturing of many suburbs. Maturing suburbs usually increase employment within their borders. The necessity for suburbanites to commute to central cities declines. However suburban maturity also is associated with diminished capacities. Relative income decline in numerous suburbs is the most prominent feature of diminished suburban capacities. Ironically, the stage for relative suburban income decline is set by suburban job increases which expand the commuting zone 20 or 30 more miles into rural territory, greatly enlarging the zone of exurban population growth.