Are migrant workers satisfied with public rental housing? A study in Chongqing, China

• Migrant workers’ residential satisfaction with public rental housing was examined.
• The overall residential satisfaction of migrant workers was moderate.
• Housing attributes associated with residential (dis)satisfaction are identified.

In China, the public rental housing (PRH), as the only form of public housing migrant workers have access to, plays a critical role in accommodating necessary workforce for urban development. Therefore, it is imperative to improve the residential satisfaction in order to retain these migrant workers. This study aims to explore migrant workers’ residential satisfaction with PRH and their moving intentions in Chongqing, where an ambitious PRH programs has been launched recently. 31 housing attributes were identified as a result of extensive literature review. This is followed by a questionnaire survey with migrant workers from 8 completed and occupied PRH residential districts. Results showed that the overall residential satisfaction of migrant workers was moderate. Similarly, housing quality, supporting facilities, and estate management and services are found strongly associated with residential (dis)satisfaction. There is a close relationship between residential satisfaction and moving intention. Similarly, this study revealed that various socio-economic characteristics (e.g. education, income, marriage and housing type) have significant effects on the moving intention. This research sheds some lights on sustainable development of PRH program in China and provides useful evidence for future studies on public housing issues in developing countries.