How do cities grow?

[Chesh 173]

What stimulates an economy? What makes a town grow? Refering to both the real world and Simcity. Sure - I can zone industry, then I zone residential, more industry, residential, so on and so on. But what prompts this? What reasons are there for zoning more industry in the first place? I'm sure there are actually many many different reasons. Why do you think cities grow? I'm hoping that a better understanding of the science behind the city will increase the realism of my own

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Jobs, jobs, jobs.  I always start a city with low density C.  Add some low density R when there gets to be a few jobs.  In one recent experiment I zoned only 4 x 2 high density and got low wealth buildings on the lots.  When taxes are the same level, anything grows.

[TekindusT 3,809]

I tend to zone dense industrial from the very beginning in new cities. It goes against the general gameplay, which typically suggests starting off from agricultural zones. I get fast growth rates and a balanced economy just in a few simyears. As Nonny suggested, it's all about jobs.

[.anonyman 28]

Well, in SC4 cities grow because that's the point. It's not realistic in the slightest, but the various types of zones all want to grow, all the time. Then the simulation limits city growth because of pollution, traffic, etc. and by means of demand caps. There's no in-game consideration of where those magically-appearing Sims come from, or where those freight trips end up. You can achieve realistic-looking cities, but what prompts their growth is purely mathematics.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Freight trips always end in the great bit bucket in the sky.