An Integrated Multi-Source Dataset for Measuring Settlement Evolution in the United States from 1810 to 2020.

Area of Science:

• Geospatial science
• Urban studies
• Environmental science

Background:

• Understanding built environment evolution is crucial for urban sustainability and disaster preparedness.
• Existing datasets often have limitations in coverage, resolution, and temporal scope.
• There is a need for comprehensive, long-term data on human settlements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address limitations in existing datasets by creating an extensive, attribute-rich historical settlement data sequence.
• To release Version 2 of the Historical Settlement Data Compilation for the U.S. (HISDAC-US) with updated information to 2021.
• To facilitate detailed research on urban form, hazard risk, population dynamics, land use, and health.

Main Methods:

• Integration of three distinct spatial datasets: property-level real estate, parcel data, and remote sensing-based building footprints.
• Complex data processing and merging to create gridded multi-temporal settlement layers.
• Development of a 200-year settlement layer sequence for the contiguous U.S.

Main Results:

• Creation of an extensive, attribute-rich historical settlement dataset spanning 200 years for the contiguous U.S.
• Release of HISDAC-US Version 2, incorporating land use and structural information up to 2021.
• A comprehensive resource enabling detailed analysis of the built environment's historical changes.

Conclusions:

• The HISDAC-US dataset provides a valuable, long-term perspective on the built environment's evolution.
• This resource supports diverse research applications, including urban planning, hazard assessment, and population studies.
• The integrated approach overcomes limitations of previous datasets, offering a more robust foundation for scientific inquiry.