Population Flow-Based Evaluation and Zoning Optimization for Rural Settlement Utilization Efficiency in Metropolitan Suburbs

To address the utilization challenges of rural settlements in metropolitan suburbs, this study takes the suburban areas of Wuhan as its research object. Based on mobile signaling data and multi-source geographic data, it evaluates their utilization efficiency and construction suitability from both dynamic and static dimensions, and proposes zoning optimization strategies. The study constructed a population mobility network, revealing that rural population flow in Wuhan radiates primarily from the main urban core, with net inflow or balance prevalent in near-suburban areas and net outflow dominant in distant suburbs. The results indicate that only 11.45% of villages achieve medium-to-high utilization efficiency, while 94.50% of the area is classified as highly suitable for development. Based on the “Efficiency-Potential” matrix, villages are categorized into five types, including key development type, gradual optimization type, potential activation type, steady-state improvement type and priority exit type. This study contributes to our understanding of the relationship between rural population and land, and provides support for the optimization of suburban settlements and rural revitalization.