In recent decades, European cities have increasingly reflected deepening social divisions. On the one hand, income inequalities have grown; on the other, many countries have experienced intense migration processes. Both phenomena affect the organisation of urban space, leading to the consolidation of areas inhabited by groups with similar economic status or migration background.
Previous research on residential segregation in Europe has focused primarily on the largest metropolitan areas and capital cities, typically examining only one dimension of the phenomenon – either economic or immigrant segregation. In reality, however, the processes taking place in cities are far more complex and interconnected.
To better understand these relationships, Prof. Szymon Marcińczak from the Faculty of Geographical Sciences of the University of Lodz and Prof. Ricardo Iglesias-Pascual from Universidad Pablo de Olavide have analysed the level of residential segregation in 124 of Spain’s most densely populated cities.
In 2021, these cities were home to nearly 47 per cent of the country’s population. The study examined both income segregation and segregation related to residents’ immigrant status.
The analysis is based on data from census tracts and municipal administrative units. The level of segregation was measured using the dissimilarity index (D), one of the most widely used tools in studies of urban social structure. It makes it possible to assess the degree of spatial separation between different social groups.
The researchers also applied Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) models, which enabled them to examine simultaneously the impact of economic and demographic factors on both types of segregation. This made it possible to capture the relationships between the economic structure of cities and the spatial distribution of their populations.
Contemporary cities facing growing divisions
The findings show that the structural characteristics of urban regions are a key factor influencing both income and immigrant segregation. This means that spatial social divisions do not arise randomly but are closely linked to the operation of local labour markets, demographic structures and the level of economic development of individual cities.
The analysis also indicates that the economic recovery following the 2008 financial crisis did not lead to a reduction in spatial inequalities. On the contrary, both income and immigrant segregation have become entrenched and, in many cases, taken on a lasting character.
According to the researchers, this may indicate that contemporary European cities are increasingly divided into areas with differing living conditions, economic opportunities and levels of social integration.
The study highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach to urban development and housing policies. The authors emphasise that tackling segregation requires taking into account economic, social and migration-related factors simultaneously, as these processes overlap and jointly shape the organisation of contemporary urban space.
Source: Marcińczak Szymon, Iglesias-Pascual Ricardo: Income and immigrant segregation in urban Spain, European Urban and Regional Studies, SAGE Publications, 2025, pp. 1-17, DOI:10.1177/09697764251396019
