The classification and determinants of the 15-minute city across 339 Chinese cities

The 15-minute city presents a novel approach to sustainable urban environments; however, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. This paper proposes a methodological framework that classifies 15-minute cities by overall performance and relative performance across facility categories. The study of 339 Chinese cities identifies four distinct city types: high-performance livability-oriented, high-performance consumption-oriented, medium-performance essential service-oriented, and under-served. More affluent cities with more dispersed population and facilities generally perform better. City performance is associated with facility provision profile, with high-performing cities investing more in quality-of-life amenities, while others focus on meeting residents’ basic service needs. These findings support tailored development strategies, suggesting that cities should first ensure access to essential services, before progressively developing livability and consumption-oriented amenities that satisfy more diversified needs. By linking city typologies to facility provision profiles, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of differentiated urban development strategies and provides actionable insights for planning 15-minute cities.