Migration during the Relatively Stationary Mid-Life Years: Migration among Mid-Lifers by County Context

E. Helen Berry, Utah State University
Michael B. Toney, Utah State University
John Cromartie, U.S. Department of Agriculture (DOA)

Initial migration among 18-25 year olds, when overall mobility levels are highest, is largely driven by widely shared life-cycle activities such as seeking education or exploring employment. Less is known about forces shaping (a) the migration decision or (b) the destination choices of 25-34 year old migrants, an age when income increases and family-building proliferates. For example, in rural areas, the inmigration of 25-34 year olds is more geographically concentrated than the outmigration of younger adults. As a result, many counties gain population among 25-34 year olds while areas with high net migration losses are distinguished more by low inmigration than high outmigration. To examine this process, migration is examined, using the NLSY79 geocode data, to identify factors that trigger migration during the relatively stationary age 25-34 life-phase. Individual variables include presence of children; marriage/divorce; employment; and migration history. Contextual variables including metro-nonmetro; retirement; or amenity county-types are examined.