Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The urban-rural income gap and the non-equalization of basic public services constitute the core contradiction in China's urban-rural development. METHODS: This study employs the fsQCA method based on the TOE framework to determine how technological, organizational, and environmental conditions collectively shape the urban-rural income gap in China's Yangtze River Delta region. RESULTS: The findings reveal three distinct configurations of high income disparity and three distinct configurations of non-high income disparity, emphasizing that no single factor is indispensable. Rather, combinations are crucial. High-disparity configurations manifest through three divergent pathways: dual squeezes from fiscal constraints and lagging digital infrastructure; structural disconnect between economic growth and digitalization; and cyclical lock-in between low-level economies and public service shortages. Non-high-disparity configurations emerge via three equivalent pathways: factor rebalancing driven by high economic output; cross-regional coordination through institutional optimization and digital empowerment; and compensatory mechanisms based on fiscal resilience and governance innovation. DISCUSSION: The study offers recommendations for basic public service allocation across cities in China's three major regions, holding significant implications for the integrated urban-rural development of China.