Race-Ethnic Preference and Neighborhood Quality Effects on Residential Mobility Decisions: Evidence from the Los Angeles Survey of Families and Neighborhoods

Vanesa Estrada, University of California, Los Angeles
Robert D. Mare, University of California, Los Angeles

Although individuals appear to consider the race-ethnic makeup of neighborhoods when they decide where to live, the reasons for this are not well understood. This paper examines the impact of racial composition and nonracial characteristics of neighborhoods on residential location decisions, using residential mobility histories of a sample of adults in Los Angeles. Using a discrete choice model, which allows the probability of moving to vary with the characteristics of the potential neighborhoods, holding constant individual characteristics, we ask: (1) Does the race-ethnic composition of a neighborhood affect the probability of choosing that neighborhood over another? Does this effect vary across racial groups? (2) If the race-ethnic makeup of a neighborhood appears to affect neighborhood choice, to what extent do other correlated nonracial characteristics of neighborhoods account for these preferences? (3) Do life cycle and other individual-level characteristics interact with race-ethnic composition and other neighborhood characteristics to affect neighborhood choice?