New Data and Insights in Regional and Urban Economics

This chapter surveys new data sources employed in urban and regional economics in the past decade and the insights they have enabled. We first provide a primer on the data sources, including advantages, disadvantages and use cases. Historical data sources include linked census records as well as digitized maps and directories. Contemporary data come from satellites, mobile phones, social media and wikis, posted prices and listings, e-commerce and payment card transactions, newly available administrative sources, and text, among others. We then discuss the advances these data have enabled in substantive areas throughout urban and regional economics, with historical and contemporary examples in each area. We conclude with some predictions and warnings.