Ying Zhou, Wensheng Zheng, Xiaofang Wang
Abstract The ‘core‐periphery’ relationship is an essential perspective from which to understand the spatial evolution of metropolitan areas (MAs). This study examines the evolution of economic efficiency in the Wuhan metropolitan area (WHMA) from the perspectives of the hierarchical relationship and flow networks between ‘core‐periphery’. Results show that scale gravity manifests as a combination of scale agglomeration and economic siphoning effects, while population flows reflect radiation effects. Their interaction exacerbates the hierarchical agglomeration, thereby weakening the economic efficiency of peripheral cities in the WHMA. Overall, the ‘core‐periphery’ interaction within the WHMA is dominated by scale‐related siphon effects, which further exacerbate the spatial polarisation of economic efficiency. The radiation‐driven effect of population flows primarily benefits inner‐circle cities. In contrast, population flows among peripheral cities positively contribute to the economic efficiency of cities across different scales. Notably, Wuhan's gravitational influence exhibits a significant negative impact across different spatial scales.