Studies pertaining to community growth have dealt with the community's territorial expansion, economy, government's functions, and institutions. Since researchers usually use the dimension that they have been taught (economists use economic measures, and social scientists use sociological measures), two problems have resulted: (1) How should community growth be defined? (2) Under what conditions does it occur? This book explains the rationale for the various shifts and critically reviews the empirical research which has been completed. Two competing frames of reference are analyzed: (1) Macrodiffusion and (2) Central Place Theory. A codification of the conceptual frameworks and an overview of the principal methodological problems encountered are included. Also discussed are: the theoretical starting points, research techniques, characteristics of the basic dimensions, hypothesis testing, community structure and municipal differentiation, consequences of differentiation, centrality, solidarity, and measurement and prediction of community growth. (NQ)