Medford, Ore. — A study released by Smart Growth America shows Medford ranks as the 23 most compacted, connected city in the nation.
The study researched development patterns in 221 metropolitan areas to see which communities were the most compact.
Researchers say people who live in compact, connected areas have greater economic opportunities, spend less money on transportation, and are safer, healthier, and live longer than people who live in sprawling metropolitan communities.
Researchers used four factors to assign the sprawl index score: development density, land-use mix, the proportion of people and businesses located near each other, and street accessibility.
The Medford metropolitan area studied included all of Jackson County and received a better sprawl index score than Eugene, Salem, and Portland.
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