The development of the index of multiple deprivations from small-area population census in the city of Guangzhou, PRC

• This paper attempts to develop an Index of multiple deprivations from small-area population census in China.
• The method is useful to show urban–rural disparity and the extensive distribution of deprived areas in outer suburbs.
• This paper helps to allocate public resources and target area-based regeneration policies in Chinese cities.

The index of multiple deprivations (IMD) is an established method in western market economies for measuring the level of social disadvantage in small areas so as to allocate public resources and target area-based regeneration policies. The method has seldom been used in emerging economies such as China. This article applies the method to the city of Guangzhou and attempts to develop an index that is suitable to the local context. Using the fifth population census, 13 indicators are selected into 5 domains of deprivation, which are measured in the finest resolution of 1632 residents' committees (RCs). The method is useful to show urban–rural disparity and the extensive distribution of deprived areas in outer suburbs.