Varying relationships between experienced income segregation and travel behaviour across neighbourhood social and urban contexts

Abstract

Abstract Income segregation is a barrier to social inclusivity and equity. It is affected by individuals’ travel behaviour and socioeconomic status and may be intensified by localised living models emphasising conducting daily activities within immediate neighbourhoods. However, how the relationship between experienced income segregation and travel behaviour varies across neighbourhood social and urban contexts remains unclear. Here, we quantify experienced income segregation using a dataset of 1.2 billion mobility records from the contiguous United States and examine its relationships with travel distance and diversity across neighbourhoods with different social and urban contexts. We find that longer travel distances and more diverse destinations are associated with less experienced segregation for least affluent neighbourhoods, especially in less urbanised areas. Our findings underscore the need for urban planning and transport interventions to increase mobility and social integration opportunities for residents from socially disadvantaged neighbourhoods. They also highlight the potential adverse social consequences of localised living models.