Spatial Differentiation and Sustainable Development in Urban Housing Choice Among China’s Floating Population: A Geospatial Heterogeneity Perspective

Geospatial heterogeneity plays a critical role in shaping housing tenure among China’s floating population. Using three binary indicators—homeownership, social housing, and informal housing—this study measures migrants’ housing affordability, access to public housing resources, and residential stability. Based on nationally representative data from the 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS), we examine how geospatial characteristics influence migrants’ housing tenure. The results show that both origin and destination characteristics significantly affect housing outcomes. Migrants moving to higher-tier cities are more likely to obtain social housing because these cities provide better public services and greater opportunities to accumulate human and social capital. However, high housing prices in megacities substantially reduce the likelihood of homeownership. A clear birthplace effect is also observed: migrants originating from eastern China and megacities have significantly higher probabilities of obtaining both social and owner-occupied housing, reflecting the advantages associated with more developed places of origin. In addition, marital status, duration of migration, educational attainment, and hukou status consistently influence housing tenure. These findings highlight the importance of geospatial heterogeneity in explaining housing differentiation among China’s floating population and provide evidence for improving housing policies during rapid urbanization. Geospatial factors shape both the housing choices and associated stratification patterns of China’s internal migrants, thereby exerting a discernible influence on the national trajectory toward sustainable development. Accordingly, policymakers must prioritize the pursuit of balanced regional development—with particular emphasis on aligning regional economic performance, infrastructure provision, public service accessibility, and the spatial distribution of population. Such measures would help attenuate the impact of geospatial disparities on migrant housing differentiation and, in turn, advance the country’s broader agenda for sustainable development.