Demographic types of small cities in Poland

The aim of the study was to determine the demographic types of all small cities in Poland in 2013 and to identify the standards of their spatial diversity. The following questions were posed: Which demographic types are dominant among the small cities of Poland? Is there a relation between a specific demographic type and the size of the city? Does the structure of small cities according to their demographic types relate to their distance from main roads and urban agglomerations? The study applied the Webb’s typology, the K. Doi leading element method, the departure from average indicator, and the nonparametric Chi squared test. The spatial regularities were identified based on the created maps.

The results of the study show that small cities of Poland in 2013 were represented by all demographic types, but most of them were regressive. They were established in 80% of small cities. The main element determining the population trends of small cities was the negative migration balance, which was observed in 80% of the surveyed areas. It was also established that the population of small cities has a slight impact on population trends. The most important aspect of their development is the distance from agglomerations and main roads.