© Kamla-Raj 2009 J Hum Ecol, 25(2): 137-141 (2009) Determinants of Households’ Residential Districts’ Preferences within Metropolitan City of Ibadan, Nigeria Lekan Sanni* and Felicia O. Akinyemi** *Department of Urban & Regional planning, university of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria Telephone: +2348034287373 OR +23422016481 E-mail: <lekansanni@gmail.com>, < lekansanni@37.com> **Department of Geography, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria KEYWORDS Household. Residential District. Residential Preference. Preference Rating ABSTRACT The study examines the determinants of households’ residential district preferences within the metropolitan city of Ibadan. Variables considered as determinants, based on households’ survey and used for appraisal in this study include quality of the environment in terms of good layout, availability of infrastructural facilities like good roads, water supply, quietness, peace and adequate security etc; socio-cultural activities; accessibility to place of work; mere chance- like occupying the only vacant place/ plot; security of land ownership; and affinity to place of birth / need to live close to relatives. The analysis is based on statistical estimation and conclusions are based on the results obtained from these estimations. Our findings indicate that different category of residential density district of the city has distinct set of households’ residential districts preferences peculiar to it, hence broad generalizations for the whole city could be erroneous. INTRODUCTION Residential areas have generated a lot of res- earches. Investigations have been carried out on their structure, form and composition (Herberts and Stephens 1960; Mabogunje 1962; Abiodun 1976; Aguda 1994; Sanni 1997). Various residential areas have been identified and efforts have been made to explain the level of provision of social facilities and amenities in various residential density areas (Olatubara 1994; Sanni 1983). Various scholars have also used level of living to study residential areas of many African cities (Abiodun and Boateng, 1987; Ogunjumo and Olatubara 1997). From empirical studies, diverse reasons have been proposed to explain why residents prefer some residential districts to the others. For instance, while Cervero and Duncan (2002), Handy (1996), Schwanen and Mokhtarian (2003), Sermons and Seredich (2001), and Srinivasan and Ferreira (2001) found strong relationships between individual’s travel pattern and residential location preference, (Kauko 2006) identified ‘the functionality and spaciousness of the house itself’ as the most significant determinant. Croft (2003), on the other hand, identified the rating of existing facilities, especially, schools for the children. In his opinion, ‘where particular areas or schools gain poor reputations (for any reason), attracting a mix of pupils becomes more difficult. If residential areas are avoided because of the reputation of their schools, demand amongst families for the available residential space lowers…’. A household’s decision to choose a particular residential district could be due to socio- economic, cultural, administrative or purely psychological factors (See Ogunjumo and Olatubara 1997). Urban residential location models indicate that the determinants of households’ choice of residence include income of the household making the choice, family size, population density, rent and transport cost (Alonso 1964; Mirth 1969). Empirical studies have also shown the influence of workplace on residential location (Quingley 1985; Blackey and Follain 1987). Berry and Rees (1969, cited in Ogunjumo and Olatubara 1997) believe that the household’s position in social space affects its choice of dwelling location and housing space. The general tendency of the poor people to live near the Central Business District (CBD) while the rich stay at the outskirts of the city has also been well documented. Also well documented in the literature is the general tendency of people to segregate based on income. The spatial segregation based on income has been shown not to be very significant in Africa. For instance findings of Abiodun (1990) have shown that some particular or ethnic groups concentrate in certain parts of Nigerian cities. Studies also document that the rich and the poor co-exist in many parts of Nigerian cities. Lee (1975) is of the opinion that often times, a migrant’s destination (within