Factors influencing the quality of rural human settlements in a peripheral metropolitan area based on a structural equation model: A case study from Beijing

Rural human settlement is a significant indicator of the living standards of rural residents, and its improvement can contribute to promoting the positive interaction between inhabited environment and the social, economic, and resource environment in the countryside. Based on 557 valid questionnaires of satisfaction evaluation of human settlement in the peripheral metropolitan area of Beijing, this paper analyzed the elemental characteristics and factors influencing human settlement quality using multivariate statistical analysis and a structural equation model. The result shows that, first, the rural residents in a peripheral metropolitan area of Beijing are generally satisfied with the quality of human settlement (satisfaction rate is 66.2%). Specifically, the natural and social environment of the countryside is excellent and harmonious and corresponding standard of countryside infrastructure is advanced, but the quality of public services and follow-up management of facilities are in urgent need of improvement and the imbalance between revenue and expenditure of rural households has led to a continuous increase in the pressures of life. Second, factors such as social atmosphere, appearance of the village, entertainment, living costs, fundamental public services, and production costs have significant effects on human settlement quality in this peripheral metropolitan area, with social atmosphere as the main one. Living costs and supporting services are the main constraints to improvement in the quality of human settlement.