Who buys public transport accessible housing? Residential sorting in the Oslo region

This article investigates whether public transport (PT) accessibility is related to socioeconomic residential sorting in the Oslo region. There is widespread concern that PT services contribute to gentrification and exclusionary processes, although empirical evidence for this is limited. This study uses detailed dwelling transaction data and estimates conditional logit models on residential purchases among different income groups. The results show that the effect of PT accessibility on dwelling selection varies as the life course progresses. Families with children and older households display lower effects of PT accessibility on residential choice than young, childless households. At the same time, PT accessibility increases the likelihood of dwelling purchase more for high-income households than for households with a lower income. These results confirm that PT accessibility is a valued and limited residential asset, one that households with more economic resources are better able to obtain.