Computing the complexity for Schelling segregation models

The Schelling segregation models are “agent based” population models, where individual members of the population (agents) interact directly with other agents and move in space and time. In this note we study one-dimensional Schelling population models as finite dynamical systems. We define a natural notion of entropy which measures the complexity of the family of these dynamical systems. The entropy counts the asymptotic growth rate of the number of limit states. We find formulas and deduce precise asymptotics for the number of limit states, which enable us to explicitly compute the entropy.