Measurement of the Spatiotemporal Evolution of the Digital Economy in Prefecture-level Cities of Hubei Province (2011-2022)

This study explores the spatiotemporal evolution of the digital economy in 12 prefecture-level cities in Hubei Province from 2011 to 2022, using the entropy method for index measurement and heatmaps for spatial pattern visualization. The main findings are summarized as follows: (1) The digital economy indices of Hubei's cities demonstrated significant overall growth, with phased variations in growth rates; the growth rate accelerated expansion post-2015 driven by China's "Internet Plus" initiative and temporary slowdowns in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Spatially, the digital economy development exhibits a trend of agglomeration in the western regions and a pattern of diffusion centered on Wuhan, spreading to neighboring cities in the eastern areas. By quantifying spatiotemporal evolution patterns, this study aims to provide actionable insights into formulating targeted policies and fostering the regional coordinated development of the digital economy in Hubei Province.