Residents of the area centered on Sacramento will pay $57,093 per person by 2025 to cover the additional costs caused by sprawling development, second only to Las Vegas among U.S. economic centers that face the sprawl problem, a new book asserts.
The Sacramento "economic area," made up of the traditional metro area plus neighboring rural counties, is No. 14 in the U.S. when ranked by sprawl costs, the authors say. The markets facing the highest costs are Los Angeles, Washington/Baltimore and the San Francisco Bay area, with costs associated with sprawl estimated at $535 billion, $384 billion and $378 billion respectively for the period from 2000 through 2025.
But while the total cost for Sacramento is $129.8 billion over that same span, the cost per person is much higher. Only Las Vegas -- No. 15 in overall sprawl costs at $109.2 billion -- had a higher per-capita cost, at $72,697 per person.
Sprawl Costs: Economic Impacts of Unchecked Development
Why have a TOD ... because it is cheaper & healthier
Sprawl Costs: Economic Impacts of Unchecked Development