U.S. Family Migration: Do Housing Costs Matter?

Suzanne Withers, University of Washington
William A.V. Clark, University of California, Los Angeles
Tricia Ruiz, University of Washington

The rapid increase in the cost of housing has recently been identified as a motivation for significant migration flows down the urban hierarchy. However, little empirical work has established the relationship between differential costs of living and migration flows, particularly for families. In this paper we measure the difference in the cost of living between origin and destination for all migration flows across the United States at the county level from 1995-2000. Particular focus is given to the top 0.1% of population flows (magnitude) to examine the cost-of-living outcomes for these exchanges. We then assess the impact of housing cost differentials on interstate migration specifically. Lastly, using the 2000 PUMS we assess the cost-of-living adjustments experienced by migrant families. The paper provides convincing evidence that cost-of-living adjustments are a critical component of understanding recent long-distance flows and family migration strategies.