A plot showing the OL(n; x) and MC(n) curves for a particular location x where OL(n; x) > MC(n) for a range of values of n. The horizontal axis is labeled n and the vertical axis is labeled OL(n; x)=MC(n). The MC(n) curve is a straight line of positive slope that begins at the origin and continues upward and rightward. The OL(n; x) curve consists of two portions. First, it includes the entirety of the vertical axis. Second, it includes a smooth, hump-shaped segment that begins at the horizontal axis to the left of the origin, passes upward beyond the MC(n) curve, peaks and continues downward and rightward.
A plot showing the OL(n; x) andMC(n) curves for five particular locations. The horizontal axis is labeled n and the vertical axis is labeled OL(n; x)=MC(n). The point $$N(\tilde{u})$$ is labeled on the horizontal axis, corresponding to the peak of each OL(n; x) curve. The MC(n) curve, as in Figure 1, is linear and extends upward and rightward from the origin. The topmost OL(n; x) curve is for location x = 1 and peaks well above the MC(n) curve. The next OL(n; x) curve is for location $$x \in (\hat{x}; 1)$$ and peaks above the MC(n) curve. The third OL(n; x) curve is for location $$\hat{x}$$ and peaks as it intersects the MC(n) curve. The fourth OL(n; x) curve is for location $$x \in (x; \hat{x})$$ and peaks below MC(n). The fifth and final OL(n; x) curve is for location x and peaks below the MC(n) curve; this curve meets MC(n) with tangency to the left of $$N(\tilde{u})$$.
| County | State | Asking price per square foot in 2015 | Annual Units permitted 1990-2014, per 1,000 units in 1990 | Nominal Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York County | NY | 1823 | 5.1 | Above 90th Percentile |
| San Francisco County | CA | 897 | 5.5 | 50th-90th percentile |
| San Mateo County | CA | 696 | 4.3 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Kings County | NY | 613 | 4.6 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Santa Clara County | CA | 524 | 9.8 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Honolulu County | HI | 510 | 9.6 | 50th-90th percentile |
| District of Columbia | DC | 469 | 4.9 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Suffolk County | MA | 459 | 3.6 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Santa Barbara County | CA | 449 | 6.1 | Below 50th percentile |
| Alameda County | CA | 425 | 7.1 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Monterey County | CA | 398 | 8.3 | Below 50th percentile |
| Queens County | NY | 391 | 4.1 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Suffolk County | NY | 391 | 6.5 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Orange County | CA | 383 | 9.5 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Los Angeles County | CA | 360 | 4.6 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Sonoma County | CA | 359 | 11.3 | Below 50th percentile |
| San Diego County | CA | 318 | 10.2 | Below 50th percentile |
| Ventura County | CA | 316 | 9.6 | Below 50th percentile |
| Nassau County | NY | 313 | 2.1 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Denver County | CO | 311 | 12.1 | Below 50th percentile |
| Contra Costa County | CA | 308 | 11.8 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Fairfax County | VA | 284 | 14.3 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Richmond County | NY | 278 | 10.4 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Hudson County | NJ | 276 | 8.2 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Westchester County | NY | 274 | 3.8 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Bergen County | NJ | 270 | 5.3 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Middlesex County | MA | 262 | 5.8 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Norfolk County | MA | 258 | 7.0 | 50th-90th percentile |
| King County | WA | 250 | 16.4 | Below 50th percentile |
| Fairfield County | CT | 248 | 6.2 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Montgomery County | MD | 241 | 12.2 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Multnomah County | OR | 240 | 12.6 | Below 50th percentile |
| Collier County | FL | 235 | 48.3 | Below 50th percentile |
| Bronx County | NY | 234 | 4.7 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Essex County | MA | 225 | 5.9 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Morris County | NJ | 219 | 9.9 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Placer County | CA | 219 | 41.7 | Below 50th percentile |
| Jefferson County | CO | 216 | 12.2 | Below 50th percentile |
| Somerset County | NJ | 212 | 15.8 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Solano County | CA | 211 | 12.9 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Plymouth County | MA | 210 | 8.9 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Monmouth County | NJ | 207 | 9.8 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Anne Arundel County | MD | 200 | 16.4 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Dakota County | MN | 200 | 23.9 | Below 50th percentile |
| Charleston County | SC | 195 | 25.3 | Below 50th percentile |
| Middlesex County | NJ | 192 | 8.3 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Hennepin County | MN | 191 | 9.1 | Below 50th percentile |
| Clackamas County | OR | 190 | 19.3 | Below 50th percentile |
| Washington County | OR | 190 | 31.1 | Below 50th percentile |
| Arapahoe County | CO | 188 | 20.0 | Below 50th percentile |
| Snohomish County | WA | 187 | 26.3 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Union County | NJ | 187 | 4.1 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Sacramento County | CA | 183 | 13.9 | Below 50th percentile |
| Riverside County | CA | 180 | 26.9 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Bristol County | MA | 179 | 6.8 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Prince William County | VA | 179 | 40.9 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Washoe County | NV | 173 | 28.0 | Below 50th percentile |
| Adams County | CO | 172 | 25.8 | 50th-90th percentile |
| San Bernardino County | CA | 171 | 12.9 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Salt Lake County | UT | 171 | 20.0 | Below 50th percentile |
| San Joaquin County | CA | 171 | 18.3 | 50th-90th percentile |
| DuPage County | IL | 170 | 11.0 | Below 50th percentile |
| Passaic County | NJ | 170 | 3.4 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Bucks County | PA | 167 | 10.1 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Sarasota County | FL | 166 | 20.7 | Below 50th percentile |
| Palm Beach County | FL | 166 | 17.9 | Below 50th percentile |
| Clark County | WA | 164 | 33.7 | Below 50th percentile |
| Essex County | NJ | 164 | 4.6 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Ocean County | NJ | 161 | 12.2 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Anoka County | MN | 161 | 21.8 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Broward County | FL | 160 | 13.1 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Travis County | TX | 160 | 36.1 | Below 50th percentile |
| Cook County | IL | 158 | 4.9 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Stanislaus County | CA | 155 | 14.8 | Below 50th percentile |
| Lane County | OR | 155 | 13.1 | Below 50th percentile |
| Dane County | WI | 154 | 21.9 | Below 50th percentile |
| Worcester County | MA | 154 | 8.6 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Virginia Beach city | VA | 153 | 11.6 | Below 50th percentile |
| Baltimore County | MD | 152 | 8.4 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Ramsey County | MN | 149 | 5.0 | Below 50th percentile |
| Chester County | PA | 149 | 16.6 | 50th-90th percentile |
| New Haven County | CT | 149 | 5.0 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Prince Georges County | MD | 149 | 10.3 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Manatee County | FL | 148 | 24.8 | Below 50th percentile |
| Washtenaw County | MI | 148 | 13.7 | Below 50th percentile |
| Waukesha County | WI | 148 | 19.8 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Montgomery County | PA | 148 | 9.4 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Lee County | FL | 147 | 40.7 | Below 50th percentile |
| Providence County | RI | 146 | 3.4 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Mercer County | NJ | 145 | 7.6 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Hillsborough County | NH | 144 | 9.9 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Davidson County | TN | 143 | 15.0 | Below 50th percentile |
| Pinellas County | FL | 143 | 5.9 | Below 50th percentile |
| Lake County | IL | 142 | 17.9 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Hartford County | CT | 141 | 5.0 | 50th-90th percentile |
| New Castle County | DE | 140 | 11.3 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Orange County | NY | 140 | 12.1 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Marion County | OR | 140 | 18.1 | Below 50th percentile |
| Utah County | UT | 140 | 47.8 | Below 50th percentile |
| Pierce County | WA | 139 | 20.0 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Maricopa County | AZ | 139 | 31.5 | Below 50th percentile |
| Fresno County | CA | 138 | 16.3 | Below 50th percentile |
| Johnson County | KS | 138 | 26.2 | Below 50th percentile |
| Fulton County | GA | 137 | 27.8 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Hampden County | MA | 132 | 4.0 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Oakland County | MI | 132 | 10.3 | Below 50th percentile |
| Ada County | ID | 129 | 45.7 | Below 50th percentile |
| Kern County | CA | 128 | 18.5 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Spokane County | WA | 128 | 16.7 | Below 50th percentile |
| Wake County | NC | 125 | 54.0 | Below 50th percentile |
| Williamson County | TX | 125 | 66.8 | Below 50th percentile |
| Tulare County | CA | 124 | 17.0 | Below 50th percentile |
| Collin County | TX | 124 | 85.9 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Denton County | TX | 124 | 43.3 | Below 50th percentile |
| Burlington County | NJ | 123 | 11.8 | Above 90th Percentile |
| East Baton Rouge Parish | LA | 123 | 12.0 | Below 50th percentile |
| El Paso County | CO | 122 | 24.6 | Below 50th percentile |
| Montgomery County | TX | 122 | 60.7 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Seminole County | FL | 122 | 23.7 | Below 50th percentile |
| Polk County | IA | 121 | 22.5 | Below 50th percentile |
| Lancaster County | PA | 121 | 13.0 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Orange County | FL | 121 | 34.6 | Below 50th percentile |
| Clark County | NV | 121 | 69.6 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Nueces County | TX | 120 | 11.8 | Below 50th percentile |
| St. Charles County | MO | 119 | 37.8 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Delaware County | PA | 118 | 3.7 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Kane County | IL | 117 | 31.4 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Fort Bend County | TX | 117 | 47.6 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Douglas County | NE | 116 | 15.4 | Below 50th percentile |
| Dallas County | TX | 116 | 15.7 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Chesterfield County | VA | 115 | 26.3 | 50th-90th percentile |
| St. Louis County | MO | 115 | 5.6 | Below 50th percentile |
| Mecklenburg County | NC | 114 | 40.8 | Below 50th percentile |
| Cobb County | GA | 114 | 24.2 | Below 50th percentile |
| Pima County | AZ | 113 | 19.5 | Below 50th percentile |
| Philadelphia County | PA | 113 | 2.0 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Bernalillo County | NM | 113 | 17.1 | Below 50th percentile |
| Hillsborough County | FL | 113 | 23.8 | Below 50th percentile |
| Jefferson County | KY | 113 | 9.9 | Below 50th percentile |
| Volusia County | FL | 112 | 16.8 | Below 50th percentile |
| Brevard County | FL | 111 | 20.3 | Below 50th percentile |
| Will County | IL | 110 | 35.8 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Harris County | TX | 109 | 21.8 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Knox County | TN | 108 | 18.9 | Below 50th percentile |
| Lehigh County | PA | 107 | 9.0 | 50th-90th percentile |
| York County | PA | 106 | 14.9 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Bexar County | TX | 106 | 17.1 | Below 50th percentile |
| Brazoria County | TX | 105 | 31.6 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Jefferson Parish | LA | 104 | 4.2 | 50th-90th percentile |
| St. Louis city | MO | 104 | 1.8 | Below 50th percentile |
| Allegheny County | PA | 103 | 3.9 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Erie County | NY | 101 | 4.7 | Below 50th percentile |
| Oklahoma County | OK | 101 | 13.7 | Below 50th percentile |
| Cameron County | TX | 100 | 24.1 | Below 50th percentile |
| Franklin County | OH | 100 | 15.9 | Below 50th percentile |
| Macomb County | MI | 100 | 12.9 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Baltimore city | MD | 100 | 1.6 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Greenville County | SC | 98 | 22.7 | Below 50th percentile |
| Tarrant County | TX | 97 | 20.7 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Polk County | FL | 97 | 21.4 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Pasco County | FL | 96 | 23.0 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Duval County | FL | 96 | 20.1 | Below 50th percentile |
| Kent County | MI | 95 | 12.9 | Below 50th percentile |
| Pinal County | AZ | 95 | 70.0 | Below 50th percentile |
| Berks County | PA | 95 | 9.8 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Gwinnett County | GA | 95 | 49.9 | Below 50th percentile |
| Milwaukee County | WI | 95 | 3.9 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Marion County | FL | 94 | 29.3 | Below 50th percentile |
| Lake County | IN | 94 | 9.5 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Onondaga County | NY | 94 | 5.6 | Below 50th percentile |
| Hamilton County | TN | 94 | 12.6 | Below 50th percentile |
| Camden County | NJ | 94 | 5.7 | Above 90th Percentile |
| Butler County | OH | 93 | 16.6 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Guilford County | NC | 93 | 23.1 | Below 50th percentile |
| Madison County | AL | 91 | 21.9 | Below 50th percentile |
| Tulsa County | OK | 90 | 12.7 | Below 50th percentile |
| Sedgwick County | KS | 90 | 12.8 | Below 50th percentile |
| Hamilton County | OH | 89 | 5.0 | Below 50th percentile |
| Jefferson County | AL | 89 | 10.9 | Below 50th percentile |
| Pulaski County | AR | 89 | 10.2 | Below 50th percentile |
| El Paso County | TX | 88 | 19.3 | Below 50th percentile |
| DeKalb County | GA | 88 | 16.3 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Monroe County | NY | 87 | 6.1 | Below 50th percentile |
| Hidalgo County | TX | 87 | 40.9 | Below 50th percentile |
| Forsyth County | NC | 85 | 17.7 | Below 50th percentile |
| Mobile County | AL | 85 | 12.0 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Richland County | SC | 83 | 23.0 | Below 50th percentile |
| Cumberland County | NC | 83 | 21.7 | Below 50th percentile |
| Jackson County | MO | 81 | 13.3 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Summit County | OH | 81 | 8.8 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Luzerne County | PA | 81 | 4.7 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Stark County | OH | 80 | 7.1 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Cuyahoga County | OH | 77 | 3.1 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Allen County | IN | 76 | 13.4 | Below 50th percentile |
| Marion County | IN | 76 | 10.6 | Below 50th percentile |
| Lucas County | OH | 73 | 5.2 | Below 50th percentile |
| Montgomery County | OH | 70 | 5.1 | Below 50th percentile |
| Shelby County | TN | 68 | 13.0 | 50th-90th percentile |
| Wayne County | MI | 59 | 3.6 | 50th-90th percentile |
A Google Earth satellite image of the built-up edge of Las Vegas. The city edge is very stark: to the left, a built-up neighborhood features population densities in the upper single-digit thousands of people per square mile. To the right is undeveloped and unpopulated desert.