Residential mobility in Chinese cities: a longitudinal analysis

Youqin Huang, University at Albany, State University of New York
Feng Deng

This paper aims to understand residential mobility in Chinese cities, a socialist society in transition. We argue that residential mobility in China is mainly triggered by changes in housing supply and housing qualification, both are determined by housing policies. Using a retrospective survey, we find that while the overall mobility is low, it has fluctuated significantly over time with a recent rising trend, which corresponds to historical changes in housing policies. The longitudinal models show that while some factors such as change of martial status and work units have consistent effects on mobility over time, indicating the persistency of the socialist housing system, others such as housing tenure have different effects over time, demonstrating changes in the Chinese housing system. The results share similarities with Western models; yet, they demonstrate significant differences despite market penetrations. A framework that emphasizes the roles of the state and housing policies is needed to understand residential mobility in China.