In terms of land-use intensity and housing strategy, how does density differ between central business districts (CBD) and suburbs?

• A. CBDs have lower density and simpler land use than suburbs
• B. Suburbs have higher density than CBDs
• C. CBDs typically have higher density enabling more intensive land use; suburbs have lower density
• D. Density is uniform across CBDs and suburbs

Answer: (C)

Central business districts concentrate a mix of offices, retail, services, and housing in a compact footprint, so density is high. The many buildings packed into a small area create intensive land use, with multiple floors and varied uses stacked close together. This clustering supports agglomeration benefits, shortens travel distances, and makes mass transit and walking viable, all of which reinforce the high-density pattern.

In contrast, suburbs spread uses over larger areas with lower-rise development, often dominated by single-family homes and separated land uses. This leads to lower density and less intensive land use, with more land consumption per dwelling and a greater reliance on cars for trips.

So the density difference is that CBDs enable more intensive land use through higher density, while suburbs maintain lower density and less intensive land use.