Inter- and intrajurisdictional commuters in China: How do they differ in socioeconomic, residential and travel characteristics?

Interjurisdictional commuting is increasingly prevalent in China, yet the socioeconomic and mobility disparities between interjurisdictional and intrajurisdictional commuters remain underexamined. This study investigates the socioeconomic, residential, and travel-related differences between interjurisdictional and intrajurisdictional commuters in four cities—Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, and Dongguan—using cellphone data of 15.2 million users on October 18, 2023. As commuters are not randomly assigned across jurisdictional boundaries, propensity score matching was employed to adjust for differences in workplace characteristics before comparing the two groups. The analysis reveals that interjurisdictional commuters are younger, more likely to be male and migrants, and tend to live in low-rent neighborhoods with poorer access to urban amenities. They also experience significantly longer commuting distances, durations, and higher transport costs compared to their intrajurisdictional counterparts. These disparities reflect not only individual choices but also structural challenges, such as housing affordability gaps, fragmented transport governance, and insufficient regional planning. The study contributes to the spatial mismatch and transport poverty literature by highlighting the regional dimension of commuting inequalities in polycentric urban systems. It underscores the need for integrated transit planning in peripheral cities, and targeted support for long-distance commuters. These findings offer policy-relevant insights for fostering equitable mobility in rapidly urbanizing regions.