What % of the US surface area would you guess is "built-up"?

[kranky]

If you considered all the land area covered by buildings, roads, parking lots, etc., what percentage of the entire continental United States do you think it would include?

Answer down below around post 29.

 

[blackdogdeek]

less than 25%

EDIT: maybe even less than 10%. i was being cautious.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

0.1% if you don't include farmland.

 

[Goosemaster]

Have Fun

 

[kranky]

Thanks for the link, Goosemaster, but I should have mentioned that I know the answer (at least as it was computed by NOAA using data from satellites, aerial photography, etc.). I'm interested in hearing what people perceive it to be before I post the link to the answer.

 

[Shockwave]

I'd say.....5% not counting land for agricultural use.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

oh, about 3%

 

[Viper GTS]

Probably very, very little. During my drive from Oregon to PA I was impressed at how little there truly is in the west/mid west.

Viper GTS

 

[Scarpozzi]

Get in an airplane and fly across the states. Between the Rockies and the Ozarks, there isn't much...

 

[imported_vr6]

5%

 

[Atomicus]

Less than 1%

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
Get in an airplane and fly across the states. Between the Rockies and the Ozarks, there isn't much...

there's me....and my house!

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: Atomicus
Less than 1%

 

[gistech1978]

look at alaska.

you cut alaska in half and texas becomes the third largest state.

i would say less than 1% of the total land area of the US is 'built up'

 

[Eli]

Hmm.. I guess 40%.

All these guesses of 1% are crazy.

There's no way.

I would be shocked.

Maybe my guess is a little high, but I would be shocked if it was even under 10%.

 

[Doboji]

(before reading the thread at all) .5% as in 1/2 of 1 percent... thats my guess.

-Max

 

[skace]

I'd wager to say that if we even had 25% of the us surface built up, the us would look really cramped and lacking in greenery. Just my guestimate.

 

[oniq]

1.5%

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Eli
Hmm.. I guess 40%.

All these guesses of 1% are crazy.

There's no way.

I would be shocked.

Maybe my guess is a little high, but I would be shocked if it was even under 10%.

Be prepared to be shocked.

 

[NightCrawler]

less then 10%

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Eli
Hmm.. I guess 40%.

All these guesses of 1% are crazy.

There's no way.

I would be shocked.

Maybe my guess is a little high, but I would be shocked if it was even under 10%.

Be prepared to be shocked.

I guess perhaps I have a erroneous-view of land usage in the US, Heh.

 

[gistech1978]

3rd paragraph down on the right

"Urban growth and development is not a threat to
national food and fiber production, but may reduce
production of some high-value or specialty crops?
Despite doubling since 1960, urban area still made up
less than 3 percent of U.S. land area in 1990 (excluding
Alaska). Developed area, including rural roads and
transportation, made up less than 5 percent in 1992.
The increase in urban area in the United States poses no
threat to overall U.S. food and fiber production, but
some crops in some areas are particularly vulnerable to
development."

its a bit dated. but there is a good indication.
If you included alaska, i would be willing to bet it drives it under 1%

 

[Shockwave]

OK, so what the hell is the answer?

 

[Eli]

For the record, I think we should be talking about the 48 contiguous states, and farmland should count.

Obviously, Alaska is going to put a big dent in the figure, since it is like 1/4th of the total area and has virtually no people.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: Eli
Hmm.. I guess 40%.

All these guesses of 1% are crazy.

There's no way.

I would be shocked.

Maybe my guess is a little high, but I would be shocked if it was even under 10%.

As Viper GTS mentioned, the entire midwest is almost nothing but empty land. As is most of Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, etc.