This study examines the initial residential location choices of households migrating to Seoul in 2023 using K-means clustering and a conditional logit model. By defining life-cycle groups based on household size and the age of the household head, it empirically evaluates whether the spatial differentiation of residential areas suggested by urban internal structure theories remains applicable in contemporary Seoul, while accounting for both chosen and non-chosen alternatives. The results indicate that, across all life-cycle stages, households tend to avoid aging housing stock and prefer areas with higher asset values or mixed-use environments, often located relatively far from the urban core. Furthermore, the probability of selection increases in areas with favorable educational and settlement conditions. By life-cycle stage, younger households prioritize rental demand and mobility, middle-aged households emphasize family stability, educational infrastructure, and housing quality, and older households prefer environments that support mobility, economic activity, and residential stability. These findings suggest that the socioeconomic spatial differentiation mechanisms proposed by traditional urban internal structure theories may not fully align with current patterns in Seoul, although distinct behavioral differences across life-cycle groups persist. Overall, residential choices appear to be driven more by housing quality and settlement stability than by proximity to the urban core, demonstrating the need for life-cycle- tailored housing policies and integrated land-use and transport strategies to enhance settlement stability in peripheral areas.
이석훈 et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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