Spatial Distributions of Job Accessibility, Housing Rents, and Poverty in Nairobi, Kenya
Whether individuals and job opportunities are well connected is a key determinant of productive urban labor markets. The overall level of job accessibility in a city depends on the locations of jobs and workers' residences, as well as transport networks. Moreover, who has good access to job opportunities hinges on the trade-off faced by households in their residential choices over job accessibility, living conditions, and housing costs. This paper empirically analyzes the spatial distributions of job accessibility, housing rents, and poverty in Nairobi, Kenya. It finds that workers and jobs are not well connected in the city: Nairobi residents can on average access fewer than 10 percent of existing jobs by foot within an hour. Even using a minibus, they can reach only about a quarter of the jobs. This paper further shows that poorer households and/or those who live in informal settlements can reach a more limited number of jobs. Living closer to job opportunities is indeed costly in Nairobi, not only because housing quality and living conditions tend to be better in such areas, but also job accessibility itself is valued as a great amenity in the housing markets, which challenges low-income households' residential location choice.
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Working Paper biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2018-11
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| Subjects: | SPATIAL ECONOMICS, JOB CREATION, HOUSING, POVERTY, JOB ACCESSIBILITY, URBAN POVERTY, SLUMS, URBAN PLANNING, HOUSING RENT, LIVING CONDITIONS, CONNECTIVITY, SETTLEMENTS, |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/141031543263379480/Spatial-Distributions-of-Job-Accessibility-Housing-Rents-and-Poverty-in-Nairobi-Kenya https://hdl.handle.net/10986/30927 |
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| Summary: | Whether individuals and job
opportunities are well connected is a key determinant of
productive urban labor markets. The overall level of job
accessibility in a city depends on the locations of jobs and
workers' residences, as well as transport networks.
Moreover, who has good access to job opportunities hinges on
the trade-off faced by households in their residential
choices over job accessibility, living conditions, and
housing costs. This paper empirically analyzes the spatial
distributions of job accessibility, housing rents, and
poverty in Nairobi, Kenya. It finds that workers and jobs
are not well connected in the city: Nairobi residents can on
average access fewer than 10 percent of existing jobs by
foot within an hour. Even using a minibus, they can reach
only about a quarter of the jobs. This paper further shows
that poorer households and/or those who live in informal
settlements can reach a more limited number of jobs. Living
closer to job opportunities is indeed costly in Nairobi, not
only because housing quality and living conditions tend to
be better in such areas, but also job accessibility itself
is valued as a great amenity in the housing markets, which
challenges low-income households' residential
location choice. |
|---|