Tiebout's Sorting Hypothesis

Abstract
The sorting of residential populations among metropolitan area communities and its impact on municipal service bundles is studied across 216 metropolitan areas. There is strong empiricial support for the policy implications of Tiebout's model. The service bundles of metropolitan communities are significantly differentiated. Support for the homogeneous sorting of residential populations is not confirmed, nor is there a significant relationship between the sorting of residential populations and the content of municipal service bundles. State-local relations are examined as a potential constraint on the operation of this aspect of Tiebout's model.