Multi-scalar drivers of urban well-being inequality: diagnosing deprivation–environment mismatch in Tokyo

Urban well-being is increasingly regarded as a central theme in urban studies, yet its uneven spatial distribution within cities remains poorly understood. Existing research typically treats social deprivation and environmental quality as parallel determinants, often assuming their spatially uniform effects. This paper argues that inequalities in urban well-being are structurally linked to spatially uneven resource transformation processes—where social and environmental resources operate at differing spatial scales, potentially leading to their misalignment. Using Tokyo as a case study, we constructed a 0.5 km grid dataset linking a Multidimensional Social Deprivation Index (MSDI), a street-view-based Built Environment Quality Index (BEQI), and a Spatial Well-being Indicator (SWBI) derived from geotagged social media data. MGWR analysis reveals a clear scale separation: social deprivation displays a highly localised relationship (bandwidth = 487), whereas built environment quality operates at a broader regional scale (bandwidth = 1227). Translating these estimates into a 3D mismatch typology, we identified unique combinations of social advantage, environmental quality, and well-being outcomes. The results indicate that high environmental quality is not automatically associated with higher well-being among disadvantaged groups, while socially advantaged areas may face constraints under environmental stressors. By highlighting these mismatch issues, this study provides a framework for aligning governance instruments with the specific spatial scales of underlying well-being mechanisms.