High-speed Rail Development and the Income Gap of Urban Residents:A U-shaped Relationship
The impact of high-speed rail(HSR)development on income inequality among urban residents is cru-cial for advancing China's goal of shared common prosperity.Using urban panel data from 1999 to 2020,this study examined how the densification of regional HSR networks affects income disparities among city dwellers,focusing on the mechanism of migrant population aggregation.The research found several key insights.Firstly,the densification of regional HSR networks exhibits a significant U-shaped effect on cities'Gini coefficients,in-dicating varying impacts depending on network density.Secondly,in regions with low HSR network density,the aggregation of migrant populations helps reduce urban income inequality,whereas in high-density HSR net-work regions,it tends to exacerbate it.Lastly,low-density densification of the HSR network is particularly beneficial for narrowing income gaps in eastern regions,areas with significant income disparities,and cities not designated as HSR hubs.To effectively diminish urban income inequality,the government should prioritize ex-panding the HSR network in regions currently lacking density,aiming to enhance infrastructure connectivity and promote socioeconomic integration across regions.
High speed railway networkMigrant population agglomerationIncome gap
万方数据
