Residential population estimation using a remote sensing derived impervious surface approach

Residential population estimation was explored based on impervious surface coverage in Marion County, Indiana, USA. The impervious surface was developed by spectral unmixing of a Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) multispectral image. The residential impervious surface was then derived by geographic information system (GIS) overlay of residential land class and impervious surface. Regression analysis was conducted to develop population density estimation models. We found that the residential impervious surface‐based approach provided the best population density estimation result, with mean and median relative errors of 38% and 23%, respectively. An overall population estimation error of −0.97% was achieved.