Socio-spatial differentiation in Changchun City, China

Using the Census data in 2000 on the spatial level of Jiedao, the smallest unit for census data collection, this paper examines socio-spatial differentiation in Changchun City. By applying the traditional method of factor ecology analysis, four primary factors have been extracted: the population number whose residence area per person of 9-12 m², the students´ number in schools, the number of population aged 75-79 and the number of population with rural Hukou (permanent residence registered); five social areas have been identified: age polarization area, rural Hukou complexes, workers residence area, peasant labours residence area and salaried white-collar workers area. Accordingly, the socio-spatial structure of Changchun City was a model combining the two classic structures: concentric layers in the middle part and sector zones in the south and northwest part. Besides, the calculated Index of Dissimilarity and the Coefficient of Localization have suggested that rural Hukou differentiation exists. The underlying reason was attributed to the economy level of Changchun City and the institutional forces such as work units, i. e. their impact upon housing in history and their impact in the post-reform era.