Which urban land-use model describes urban structure as rings around a central business district?

• A. Sector Model
• B. Concentric Zone Model
• C. Multiple Nuclei Model
• D. Central Place Model

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is that some cities grow in circular layers around a central business district. This is the concentric zone model, where the CBD sits at the center and successive rings surround it, each with different land uses and population characteristics. In this view, distance from the center helps determine what the area is used for and who lives there, with land values and density typically changing as you move outward from the center.

This model comes from early urban sociology and was based on observations of Chicago, showing a central business district encircled by zones of transition, working-class housing, middle- and upper-income housing, and finally the outer commuter zone. It contrasts with other models that describe growth along wedges (sector model), multiple separate centers (multiple nuclei model), or service areas in market-like patterns (central place model).