Comprehensive Evaluation of Common Prosperity in 26 Cities of the Yangtze River Delta: An Entropy-Weighted TOPSIS Approach

Drawing on five core dimensions of common prosperity—development, commonality, differentiation, gradualism, and sharing—this paper constructs an index system consisting of nine indicators across three dimensions: affluence, sharing, and sustainability. Using panel data from 26 cities in the Yangtze River Delta from 2019 to 2024, the study applies the entropy-weighted TOPSIS method to systematically assess the level of common prosperity and explore potential pathways for its promotion. The results indicate a clear spatial pattern characterized by stronger performance in the eastern region and weaker performance in the western region. Economically developed cities and their surrounding areas generally exhibit higher levels of common prosperity, while relatively lagging areas are mainly located in provincial border regions and non-coastal areas.