Income differences between central cities and suburbs in Dutch urban regions

The Dutch Government has consistently pursued a policy of keeping income differences in the Dutch population moderate over the last 50 years. This policy also has a geographical component. Funds from the national Municipalities Fund are allotted to local government more or less on the basis of need. Nonetheless substantial differences in average income have emerged between central cities and suburbs during 1946-94. Within the group of 24 metropolitan regions there are three groups of urban regions with a distinctive pattern of central city-suburbs income differences. These patterns are clearly related to the housing strategies pursued by the various city governments over the past decades.