Skip to main content
Calcimator

Urban Growth Boundary Calculator

Analyze urban growth boundary capacity from population projections, vacant land inventory, and target density to determine expansion needs.

Inputs

years
acres
acres
units/acre
units/acre

Results

Projected Population

74,297

Housing Units Needed

9,719

Population Growth24,297
Land Capacity (units)5,800
Unit Surplus / Deficit-3,919
Years of Capacity11.9 years
UGB ExpansionYes — UGB expansion required
Expansion Needed392 acres
Infill Potential29%
Total Capacity Population14,500
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter Current Population, Annual Growth Rate, and Planning Horizon.
  2. Set Vacant Buildable Land, Redevelopable Land, and Current Avg. Density.
  3. Adjust Target Density, Avg. Household Size as needed.
  4. Review Projected Population and Housing Units Needed.
  5. Use Population Growth and Land Capacity (units) to inform your decision.

How the result changes with Current Population

Current PopulationProjected PopulationHousing Units Needed
500,900744,31197,365
1,750,6502,601,374340,290
3,250,3504,829,849631,800
4,500,1006,686,912874,725

What each input means

Current Population
Current population within the urban growth boundary.
Annual Growth Rate
Expected annual population growth rate. US average is ~0.5-1%; fast-growth cities 2-4%.
Planning Horizon
Number of years the UGB must accommodate growth. Typical is 20 years.
Vacant Buildable Land
Acres of vacant land within the UGB suitable for residential development.
Redevelopable Land
Acres of underutilized land that could be redeveloped at higher density.
Current Avg. Density
Average current residential density of developed areas within the UGB.
Target Density
Target residential density for new development and redevelopment.
Avg. Household Size
Average number of persons per household.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Current Population = 50000, Annual Growth Rate = 2, Planning Horizon = 20, Vacant Buildable Land = 500 = 8 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Projected Population
    Projected Population
    74297 = 74297
  3. Calculate Housing Units Needed
    Housing Units Needed
    9719 = 9719
  4. Calculate Population Growth
    Population Growth
    24297 = 24297
  5. Calculate Land Capacity
    Land Capacity
    5800 = 5800

Engine last updated . Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators.

Related Calculators

The questions that sit next to this one — chosen by subject, including calculators filed under a different category.

Urban Planning

Population Density Calculator

Calculate population and housing density per acre from unit counts, household sizes, and land area for urban planning analysis.

Urban Planning

Community Facility Needs Calculator

Estimate required schools, fire stations, libraries, police, and recreation facilities from population growth projections.

Real Estate Law

Boundary Dispute Cost Calculator

Survey and legal cost for boundary dispute resolution.

Climate Science

Urban Heat Island Calculator

Temperature differential from land cover and albedo.

Urban Planning

Affordable Housing Requirement Calculator

Calculate inclusionary housing units required for a development, affordable rent limits, density bonuses, and fee-in-lieu costs.

More in Real Estate & Property.