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Urbanization and subjective well-being of native urban residents: evidence from the “new-type urbanization pilot policy” in China

Author

Listed:
  • Dongmei Guo

    (Central University of Finance and Economics)

  • Shuning Kong

    (Renmin University of China)

  • Xin Li

    (Central University of Finance and Economics)

  • Yiming Liu

    (Central University of Finance and Economics)

  • Weizeng Sun

    (Nanjing Audit University)

Abstract

Urbanization is a process whereby rural populations move to urban areas and enjoy the benefits brought by urban development. Existing research has placed a primary focus on the welfare of rural–urban migrants during the urbanization; whereas, the native urban residents have aroused minor attention. With the “New-type Urbanization pilot policy” in China as a quasi-experiment, this study presents more insights into how urbanization affects the subjective well-being of native urban residents. Exploiting a nationally representative survey dataset of China and performing the staggered difference-in-differences design, this paper confirms that the urbanization in the New Era of China significantly improves the subjective well-being by nearly 3.82%. The mechanisms through which the policy enhances subjective well-being are explored via the local public services provision channel and the income channel. As revealed by the result of the in-depth heterogeneity effects, the effect is greater among female, less educated and lower income urban residents, and it exerts a geographical effect on areas at a lower pre-urbanization level.

Suggested Citation

  • Dongmei Guo & Shuning Kong & Xin Li & Yiming Liu & Weizeng Sun, 2025. "Urbanization and subjective well-being of native urban residents: evidence from the “new-type urbanization pilot policy” in China," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 74(1), pages 1-27, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:anresc:v:74:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s00168-024-01337-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s00168-024-01337-3
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • R13 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - General Equilibrium and Welfare Economic Analysis of Regional Economies
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

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