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Housing costs, including rent, have become a significant economic burden for millions of floating population families in urban China, affecting their living standards and influencing migration decision-making. Using data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) in 2012 and 2017, this study analyzes the spatial patterns of rent, family income, and the rent-to-income ratio among different regions, cities, and groups. Results show that rent and the rent-to-income ratio have an inverse correlation with the regional economy, with lower ratios observed in eastern coastal areas compared to the central and western regions, especially the northeast. High-level cities record higher incomes, higher rents, and higher rent-to-income ratios, and groups with higher educational levels and occupational characteristics exhibit higher affordability. Rent plays a role in the flow and changes of the floating population, and the housing burden has become a key constraint for long-term residence or migration. Developed provinces and municipalities in the eastern region and high-level cities remain major destinations for migrants, but rising house prices impede permanent settlement through commercial house purchases. The government should consider migrants’ demands for housing and increase the supply of subsidized housing, such as public rental housing, for the floating population.

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