Assessing the Influence of Locational Suitability on the Spatial Distribution of Household Wealth in Bernalillo County, NM

Abstract

This study applies Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR) to examine the spatial determinants of household wealth in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. The model incorporates sociodemographic, environmental, and proximity-based variables to evaluate how locational suitability influences economic outcomes. Key factors considered include income, home value, elevation, PM2.5 concentration, and distances to essential services such as schools, markets, and hospitals. The MGWR model demonstrates strong performance, explaining approximately 63 percent of the variation in household wealth. Results show that proximity to markets, schools, and parks significantly increases wealth in over 40 percent of neighborhoods. In contrast, closeness to hospitals and bus stops is negatively associated with wealth, suggesting that nearby disamenities can reduce housing desirability. Strong spatial autocorrelation (Morans I = 0.53, p < 0.001) indicates that wealthier households are significantly clustered, highlighting the influence of localized factors. Overall, the study reveals that the relationship between locational suitability and household wealth is spatially variable across the county.