Can pedestrianization trigger gentrification? Analysis of Barcelona’s sociodemographic changes following pedestrianization schemes

• Pedestrianization schemes drive sociodemographic change in the short-term. • Education level and migration from Global North increase after pedestrianization. • Population changes after pedestrianization correspond to gentrification patterns. • Different types of pedestrianization yield different population changes. Pedestrianization has become a widespread practice in cities promoting active mobility to achieve environmental and social goals. Some voices have, however, raised concerns around potential gentrification effects. This research tries to determine if pedestrianizations in Barcelona from 2012 to 2020 have set off gentrification-like sociodemographic changes. Mapping pedestrianized streets and using longitudinal sociodemographic data, we isolate the effect of pedestrianization on sociodemographic change at a small scale through adjusted Difference-in-Differences and Mixed Models. Results show that pedestrianized areas have experienced a higher-than-expected increase in residents migrating from the Global North and highly educated, and a higher-than-expected decrease in older residents. These changes align with literature’s definition of gentrification, positioning pedestrianization schemes as relevant, though not singular, drivers of gentrification. This study advances existing literature by examining the role of pedestrianization in fueling population change and gentrification processes. It examines an understudied trigger of population change and addresses the inadvertent consequences of pedestrianization schemes while contributing to the debate on the social impacts of active mobility policies.