Gender Disparities in Residential Relocation: Exploring Intra-Urban Migration Patterns in Shanghai

Residential relocation within a city is a significant event for families and individuals, involving not only adapting to a new local environment but also reflecting the diverse reasons behind such moves for different social groups. While existing research has focused on gender differences in long-distance migration, such as rural-to-urban moves, less attention has been paid to gender disparities in short-distance migration. Furthermore, with the change in the economic and policy environment, it is worthwhile, despite a lack of studies, to study how the social dynamics in different periods influence the intra-urban migration of male and female groups. This study addresses these gaps by studying the gender differences in motivations of residential relocation and examining how economic and policy changes have influenced the intra-urban migration patterns of men and women in Shanghai across three distinct time periods. Using data from the Shanghai Urban Neighborhood Survey, our analysis reveals that men tend to move longer distances and more frequently than women, aligning with patterns seen in other types of migration. Additionally, we find that motivations for relocation differ by gender, with men more likely to move for work or housing reasons, while women are often motivated by family or marriage considerations. Interestingly, these gender differences have become less pronounced over time. Our study contributes to the literature on intra-urban migration by providing new insights into gender dynamics within the Chinese urban context.