The missing ingredient

Distance. Internal migration and its long-term economic impact in the United States

Dados Bibliográficos

ID3663333
AutoresViola Von Berlepsch (London School of Economics and Political Science), Andrés Rodríguez-Pose (0000-0002-8041-0856, London School of Economics and Political Science, autor correspondente)
Ano2021
Volume47
Fascículo9
Páginas2198-2217
Data de publicação2021-07-04
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoNew Community (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0047-9586 • E-ISSN: 1469-9451
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/1369183x.2019.1567303
OpenAlexW2913628512
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas8
Referências citadas62

This paper examines if internal migrants at the turn of the twentieth century have influenced the long-term economic development of the counties where they settled over 100 years ago. Using Census microdata from 1880 and 1910, the distance travelled by American-born migrants between birthplace and county of residence is examined to assess its relevance for the economic development of US counties today. The settlement patterns of domestic migrants across the 48 continental states are then linked to current county-level development. Factors influencing both migration at the time and the level of development of the county today are controlled for. The results of the analysis underline the economic importance of internal migration. Counties that attracted American-born migrants more than 100 years ago are significantly richer today. Moreover, distance is crucial for the impact of internal migration on long-term economic development; the larger the distance travelled by domestic migrants, the greater the long-term economic impact on the receiving territories

Demographic economics · Economics · Ingredient · Internal migration · Physics · Population · Sociology · Demography · Medicine · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Regional Economics and Spatial Analysis · Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies