Current trends and factors of socio-economic inequality in Russian regions

Subject. The article addresses socio-economic inequality in the regions of the Russian Federation. Objectives. The focus is on the analysis of current trends and factors of socio-economic inequality in Russian regions. Methods. The study employs comparative analysis, graphical method, least squares method using panel data. Results. The level of economic and social inequality in federal districts is influenced by various factors. For instance, in the Central Federal District, this is migration growth, density of public hard-surface roads, and the volume of investments. In the Northwestern Federal District, economic inequality is stimulated by migration growth, possibility to purchase real estate, density of public hard-surface roads, migration growth, healthcare system and transport infrastructure development. In the Southern Federal District, economic inequality is influenced by demographic burden coefficient, the volume of investments, healthcare and transport infrastructure development, the climate factor, etc. Conclusions. Richer regions have high levels of inequality, which confirms the idea of entrepreneurial opportunities. To reduce interregional differentiation, it is advisable to identify a number of areas: economic measures, labor market regulation, ensuring access to high-quality and free medical care, and housing affordability.