Functions follow size? Evidence from small and medium-sized towns in mountain areas

Abstract

Population size is often a decisive factor in defining urban functionality. However, location and geographic context can also be important, particularly in territories with geographical specificities across Europe. This paper investigates whether urban functions follow population size. It responds to the following research question: What kind of relation is between the population size in mountain areas and urban functionality? Functionality is operationalised through the provision of services of general interest and their accessibility at municipal level in the European Alps. A fine-scale, pan-Alpine comparative analysis distinguishes between inner- and peri-Alpine areas to examine the functional relevance of small towns in relation to demographic thresholds. The findings show that many small Alpine towns fulfil ‘roles beyond size’, providing a comparable level of functionality to peri-Alpine cities despite being significantly less populated. The ‘factor-3 argument’ demonstrates that, on average, inner-Alpine towns are up to three times smaller than their peri-Alpine counterparts, yet they provide similar levels of services of general interest. These results contribute to a more comprehensive framework for spatial planning and development in the European Alps, providing empirical evidence for debates on the functionality of small and medium-sized towns in territories with geographic specificities.