Does anyone else use spreadsheets to compare game elements?

Not at all. I am a builder and spent a lot of time developing the best layout. The dynamics of the game changes a lot and what works the best at one level is not the best a couple of levels higher. In the beginning it can be advantageous to build only towers to increase population, but at higher levels you want to have as many residences as possible to slow population growth. All expansions need to be done below level 15 unless you have a feeder city. Nano tech factories are a waste of money buy high-tech put them on the waters edge a road then the shops in front, at the end of the game they all need to be demolished for the final towers anyway. At high levels expand your selling slots to 20, sell metal when the sales slow down, sell wood, when that slows down sell plastic it gives you time to GTHQ shop, go back to selling wood asap its the best money.

The Vu tower is most important, get it to a level you like around level 30-35 then save a ton of money and Vu items, then bulldoze your city, I bulldozed all my towers about 500k population, then built 9 new residences and used Vu to destroy them and collect keys, building requirements are population based, so they are easy to rebuild and keys collect fast. I have see other people bulldoze all their roads sims will all move out population will drop to 0 and you can move them back to roads when you rebuild. I don't know how well that works as I bulldozed all my residences but it makes sense. I am level 67 population of 1.8 million, my plans allow for 2.8 million, hope to be done soon! Happy building !