Gender Imbalance in the Marriage Market and Housing Demand: Evidence from China

Gender imbalance and high housing costs are some of the important issues currently facing China, and they are also not in line with the UN’s SDGs, particularly SDG 5, Gender Equality, and SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities. This research examines the influence of gender disparities within the matrimonial arena on housing demand. Data from the 2015 and 2017 editions of the China Household Finance Survey were utilized in this work. The cultural preference for male offspring, coupled with the one-child policy introduced by the Chinese government in 1978, has contributed to the escalating gender ratio in the country. In light of this gender imbalance, it is posited that Chinese families with unmarried male children may endeavor to bolster their sons’ desirability in the marriage market by investing in real estate. The study findings reveal that households with at least one son are more inclined to purchase additional or more spacious residences. This finding substantiates the notion that gender imbalance could be a contributing factor in the escalation of housing prices.