This paper follows an approach different from those commonly taken in assessing trends and impact of the economy on urbanization. A social accounting matrix (SAM) for The Netherlands, which distinguishes between six levels of urbanization, is inverted to give multiplier effects of institutional transfers and sectoral injections on urbanization levels. Multipliers of the SAM are analyzed for two different periods. Changes in urban performance are decomposed into changes in multipliers and in exogenous effects which are often controlled by policy makers. Copyright