Did You Know
- 83% of the U.S. population lives in urban areas today, and by 2050 that figure is projected to reach 89%, intensifying pressure on cities and infrastructure.
- Urban density matters: doubling population-weighted density can cut CO₂ emissions by ~48% from travel and ~35% from residential energy use.
- While population grows, urban land area is expanding faster—U.S. urban land grew 14% from 2000–2020 and is projected to more than double by 2060, driving sprawl.
- Sprawl increases costs and risk, contributing to higher energy use, traffic congestion, pollution, flooding, and long-term declines in environmental and urban quality.