彰化市的都市發展於清朝治臺之初形成，因取水方便發展成聚落，後又因具交通轉運與軍事機能的要衝，蓬勃了彰化市街的發展。彰化市為清代臺灣中部第一個形成的都市，後變成行政中心，帶動都市本身與周邊聚落的發展，位居中部地區首要都市。直至臺灣建省，歷經日治、民國，中央政府在中部地區的行政重心轉移到臺中市，彰化市不論在都市位階與計畫建設，均不如臺中市，因此便由中部地區的首要都市退居為彰化縣的地方都市。早期都市聚落的形成與發展和其地點、位置、水利設施興建有密切關係，近期都市空間整體發展與內部空間發展差異，受交通建設、政府施政方針、都市計畫的影響。對於彰化市這種鄰近大都會的中型都市，若只著重聯外交通建設，無其它條件配合發展，容易因產業吸引立不足、都市空間發展紊亂，導致人口向鄰近的大都會區遷移，對中型都市的發展並無幫助。未來政府在政策與都市規劃上應審視中型都市的整體發展，才能以中型都市為基礎，建立一完善的都市體系，有利國家整體與地區發展。本研究選定中部地區發展最早的都市－彰化市，作為都市發展歷程之研究，期對彰化市都市發展與規劃提供參酌方向。

The urban development of Changhua city results from the historical & geographic concerns. In the Era of Ching Dynasty, this city expanded to a settlement because of its site where people can get water easily. Afterwards, business & people gather more and more because of its vital location of transportation and military defense. Then, it becomes the first city and the administration center in the midst of Taiwan that help the city itself and settlements around develop quickly. After the Era of Japan and the Era of R.O.C, the government has put emphasis on Taichung, not Changhua. Therefore, the development of Changhua is worse than that in Taichung, moreover; the Changhua City has turned to merely a local center, instead of the center in middle Taiwan. Where early settlements form and develop is closely related to its site, location and the building of water-facilities. Somehow, now the spatial development in cities and the divergence of the inner spatial development are deeply influenced by transport-tations, the government's policy and urban planning. As for Changhua city, if it only puts emphasis on the transportation with other cities and ignores the other needed elements, it will easily make its population move the nearby metropolis because of the lack of being attractive to industries and the chaotic spatial development in the city. Hence, the government needs to pay more attention to the integral plan of this city to build a complete city system structure for the developing of the country and regions.