Hoyt’s Sector model (1939)

• It was published as an alternative to Burgess and Park’s concentric model
• It was based on a study of 142 American cities.

Assumptions

• In making the model Hoyt made some assumptions
• The model assumes wealthy people who can afford the highest rentals and rates chose the best sites.
• Wealthy residents can afford private cars or transportation thus they live further from industry and near main roads.
• Similar land uses attract each other and repel other land uses.
• This process is referred to as sector development
• The city or town as a single CBD or core.
• People need to move from one area of the town to another.

The model

• According to Hoyt areas alongside main roads/communication lines attract the highest rent and rates.
• The city grows in a series of wedges
• Land use follows transport routes from the CBD.
• Once a certain area has developed a distinctive land use or function it tends to retain that land use as the city grows outwards
• Hoyt also identifies different residential zones in relation to income, opportunity and class.
• Sectors thus replace the rings in Burgess and Park’s model.
• This is because of unequal access as the city grows outwards along major routes.
• Major routes attract manufacturing.
• Next to the industrial zone are low class worker’s houses for example Mbare and Leighton industries, Willowvale and Highfields and Mbare and Graniteside.
• These houses are followed by middle class houses ( Waterfalls next to Mbare) and then high income houses.

To access more topics go to the O Level Geography Notes page