The Burgess model
The Burgess model, also known as the concentric zone model was one of the earliest
attempts to understand and explain the internal structure of towns and cities. It was
created in 1923, by an American sociologist, Ernest Burgess. He based the model on the
city of Chicago.
Burgess suggested that there were four concentric rings of different land uses around the
Central Business District (CBD).
Student tasks
1. Label the five main land use zones on the diagram below:
 the Central Business District (CBD)
 the Zone of transition – a mixed zone of both residential and commercial use
 the Inner suburbs or inner city – a zone of working class housing
 the Outer suburbs – a zone of better quality middle class housing
 the Commuter zone
Although the Burgess model was originally based on an American city, it has been
adapted for use with British cities. Some geographers however, argue that the model
does not work well with cities outside the United States.
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The Burgess model
2. Match the zone to the correct two items of information for a British city:
Information
Zone
CBD
Usually semi-detached
housing
Grid iron street pattern
ZONE OF
TRANSITION
Detached and semidetached housing
Often geometric street
patterns
INNER SUBURBS
Multi storied buildings
Route focus
OUTER SUBURBS
Often old industrial buildings
Often with large gardens
COMMUTER ZONE
Often 19th century terraced
housing
Often the location of the
train and bus stations
3. Describe the housing shown in the image below:
Housing in Waltham Forest, London
© Sludge G 2009
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sludgeulper/4102609574
© www.teachitgeography.co.uk 2014
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The Burgess model
4. Describe the housing shown in the image below:
Housing on Commercial Way, London SE15
© twitter.com/mathtwi1s0n 2010
https://www.flickr.com/photos/piccadillywilson/4346600331
5. Describe the housing shown in the image below:
© Caroline 2012
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hills_alive/11829503614
6. Locate the three images to the correct zone on the Burgess model.
Extension task
Using images from the ‘Houses for sale’ section of a local newspaper and a local map,
identify the Burgess zones for a nearby large settlement.
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