Income-related spatial concentration of individual social capital in cities

Social connections that span across diverse urban neighborhoods can support prosperity by mobilizing social capital. However, there is limited evidence on the spatial structure of individual capital inside cities. This paper demonstrates measured online spatially more concentrated for residents lower-income than higher-income neighborhoods. We map micro-geography networks in 50 largest metropolitan areas United States using a large-scale geolocalized Twitter dataset. analyze dimension share friends, closed triangles, and supported ties within circles short distance radii (1, 3, 5, 10 km) around users’ home location. compare from below-median income with above-median neighborhoods, find users living relatively poorer have significantly higher close proximity. Moreover, their network cohesive home. These patterns prevail US only few exceptions. The found disparities micro-geographic concentration feed segregation inequality cities constraining low-income residents.