The Sector Model of Cities

In 1939, land economist Homer Hoyt introduced this model as a modification to the concentric zone model. He utilized data from 142 cities to demonstrate that transportation routes create directional growth.

The model is frequently used to analyze the spatial structure of 20th-century American cities, where industrial development followed rail and water transport, dictating the surrounding residential patterns.

The sector model, or Hoyt model, posits that land use in a city is organized into sectors radiating from the central business district (CBD). It suggests that similar types of land use cluster together in wedges.

The model remains a foundational concept in urban geography because it highlights the relationship between transit infrastructure and the spatial distribution of socioeconomic classes.

Growth occurs along transportation axes. For instance, high-income housing sectors often develop on high ground or away from industrial sectors, while low-income housing clusters near industrial zones and transit lines.