Investigating Relationships in Environmental and Community Health: Correlations of Environment, Urban Morphology, and Socio-economic Factors in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Statistical Area

Environmental characteristics, urban morphologies, and socioeconomic factors co-evolve as urban areas grow. Investigating the interactions between these components is important as they directly impact community health and city sustainability. This research examines correlations among building density, temperature distribution, and socio-economic composition within an urban setting. The research is conducted as a case study of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Statistical Area (LAMSA). The results demonstrate that varying degrees of correlations exist among the LAMSA's built urban environment, natural environment, and demographic composition. Further, the incorporation of community health data underscores marginalized groups that may potentially experience disproportionate effects of evolving climactic events. Finally, as the general framework of analysis can be applied to other cities, this research provides a set of steps in understanding the connections among these domains to shift towards more sustainable urban futures.