Stagnation or upward mobility? The influence of achieved and ascribed factors on the housing careers of residents in Shanghai

Abstract

Research on housing inequality has predominantly focused on the differentiation of housing states at specific time points in contemporary China, with minimal attention given to understanding how individuals’ housing states evolve throughout their life course. This study, based on a retrospective survey conducted in Shanghai between 2018 and 2019, investigates the progression of residents’ housing careers and the influence of both ascribed and achieved factors. The findings reveal that individuals from privileged families are secured with advantages and even already become homeowners at the outset of their housing careers. In contrast, the influence of achieved factors takes time to manifest; for instance, educational attainment may not be determinant initially but positively correlates with upward mobility in a later stage, particularly among younger cohorts. Furthermore, it has been found permanent migrants who transferred to local hukou perform well in achieving upward housing mobility. Despite lacking the advantages of ascribed factors, they manage to catch up and even surpass locals through their proactive efforts. This study underscores the significance of adopting a temporal perspective in comprehending housing inequality and also emphasizes the dynamic influence of both ascribed and achieved factors on individuals’ housing outcomes in a restructured housing market.