Integrating Machine Learning, SHAP Interpretability, and Deep Learning Approaches in the Study of Environmental and Economic Factors: A Case Study of Residential Segregation in Las Vegas

Jingyi Liu, Yuxuan Cai and Xiwei Shen ()
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Jingyi Liu: Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Arts, School of Design, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
Yuxuan Cai: Division of the Social Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
Xiwei Shen: School of Architecture, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, VA 89154, USA

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-29

Abstract: Over the past two decades, research on residential segregation and environmental justice has evolved from spatial assimilation models to include class theory and social stratification. This study leverages recent advances in machine learning to examine how environmental, economic, and demographic factors contribute to ethnic segregation, using Las Vegas as a case study with broader urban relevance. By integrating traditional econometric techniques with machine learning and deep learning models, the study investigates (1) the correlation between housing prices, environmental quality, and segregation; (2) the differentiated impacts on various ethnic groups; and (3) the comparative effectiveness of predictive models. Among the tested algorithms, LGBM (Light Gradient Boosting) delivered the highest predictive accuracy and robustness. To improve model transparency, the SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) method was employed, identifying key variables influencing segregation outcomes. This interpretability framework helps clarify variable importance and interaction effects. The findings reveal that housing prices and poor environmental quality disproportionately affect minority populations, with distinct patterns across different ethnic groups, which may reinforce these groups’ spatial and economic marginalization. These effects contribute to persistent urban inequalities that manifest themselves in racial segregation and unequal environmental burdens. The methodology of this study is generalizable, offering a reproducible framework for future segregation studies in other cities and informing equitable urban planning and environmental policy.

Keywords: residential segregation; deep learning; machine learning; SHAP method; urban inequality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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