Effect of Urban Sprawl on Quality of Life

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between low-density areas −urban sprawl− and the quality of life in the urban area of Barcelona. Following Krupka and Noonan (2009), I measure the quality of life using the price per square meter. The results show that there is a negative relationship between low-density areas and the quality of life. Namely, a one standard deviation increase in low-density areas is associated with a reduction of the housing prices by 32%. If I split the sample in tariff rings of public transportation, the effect on prices is increasingly negative as long as I move out of the first ring. Moreover, the distance to Barcelona remains a key factor in determining housing prices despite the polycentric structure of the urban area. In addition, I propose some alternative indicators to measure sprawl given the heterogeneity and morphology of the urban area. The findings are robust to the use of these alternative definitions.