The settlement intention of migrants is an important factor for urban development. Through examination of existing research we found that the influencing factors on settlement intention differed by region; however, little attention was paid to the factors affecting settlement intention based on regional differences in China. Using data from the National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People's Republic of China, this study chose 282 cities as study areas, First, this was performed through the statistic and spatial analysis of GIS, which explains the effect of the city level variable on settlement intention; then, it introduced a hierarchical linear regression model, combining macro statistics with micro-survey data to explain the factors influencing settlement intention as well as the relationship between the city-level variable and the individual-level variable. The results showed three things: First, the characteristic of city had an impact on the settlement intention. Second, the regional difference of settlement intention was significant, it was interesting insofar as Eastern China attracted the most migrants but the settlement willingness of migrants in the east was the most insignificant. Thirdly considering the characteristic of city, education, age, income, employment status and occupation type had a significant effect on urban settlement intention. © 2018

Regional difference Hierarchical line model Population migration Becoming an urban citizen

urban area migration determinant China hierarchical system GIS numerical model population migration factor analysis spatial analysis