Learners in cities: Agglomeration and the spatial division of cognition

This paper uses new psychometric data to reconsider the composition of cities, the role of sorting in urban learning, and the generation of agglomeration economies more generally. The analysis establishes that individuals in large cities tend to have greater learning capacity. The spatial distribution of learning capacity is most strongly related to the age composition of cities, specifically to the location choices of young workers with high learning capacity. This indicates that observed patterns of dynamic agglomeration economies are influenced by the sorting of learners into cities. This, in turn, has implications for placed-based and other policies. •This paper uses new psychometric data to reconsider the composition of cities.•The analysis establishes that individuals in large cities tend to have greater learning capacity.•The spatial distribution of learning capacity is driven by the age composition of cities.•This means that the sorting of learners into cities influences dynamic agglomeration economies. into cities.