Housing Preferences and Financial Thresholds Among Jakarta’s Middle Class

This study investigates how Jakarta’s middle-income residents aged 20–39 navigate their housing preferences by examining both Ability to Pay (ATP) and Willingness to Pay (WTP) for rental housing integrated with public-use infrastructures such as markets, sports facilities, and transit terminals. Distinguishing ATP as financial capacity and WTP as value perception and behavioral intention, the research captures the economic and emotional dimensions shaping urban housing decisions. A purposive cross-sectional survey of 645 respondents—212 of whom met middle-income criteria—was analyzed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation, and regression models. Findings show that housing quality (safety, comfort, cleanliness), affordability, and mobility-related factors dominate preferences. Respondents also view housing as both a functional and symbolic space, linking material affordability with emotional meaning. Logistic regression identifies ATP, employment in East Jakarta, gender, and education as significant or near-significant predictors of interest in integrated housing schemes, while linear regression shows that WTP is shaped more by demographic and spatial experiences than income. Jakarta’s case reflects broader global challenges of land scarcity, rising housing costs, and shifting demographic needs. Integrating rental housing with public infrastructure emerges as a scalable model for dense urban contexts, aligning with international frameworks on sustainable urbanization, spatial justice, and inclusive city-making. These insights highlight the potential of public-facility-integrated housing as a viable option for urban middle-income youth, while informing more nuanced and targeted housing policy interventions.