Rural areas as winners of Covid-19, digitalization and remote working? Empirical evidence from recent internal migration in Germany

Bibliographic Data

ID6417232
AuthorsLouis Knuepling (0000-0001-8072-2908, Leibniz University Hannover), Robert Sternberg (0000-0002-7649-0419, Leibniz University Hannover, corresponding author), Anne Otto (0000-0003-3563-3206, Leibniz University Hannover)
Year2024
Volume18
Issue1
Pages227-248
Publication date2024-10-29
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCambridge Journal of Regions Economy and Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1752-1386 • E-ISSN: 1752-1378
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/cjres/rsae033
OpenAlexW4403853538
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited65

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused economic crises and increased inter-regional economic disparities. However, the catalyst effect that the pandemic has had on digitalization may change the traditional pattern of internal migration, in favour of rural areas. Using time-sensitive register data we explain changes in net migration rates of German districts from an economic geography perspective. We show that, since the beginning of the pandemic, rural regions benefited more from migration. In particular, younger and highly skilled individuals increasingly move to rural areas. This confirms that rural regions can benefit from increasing remote work, but these effects differ across region types and individual skill levels

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Biology · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Developing country · Development economics · Economic geography · Economic growth · Economics · Empirical evidence · Internal migration · Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 · COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts · Cultural Industries and Urban Development · Digital Economy and Work Transformation · Medicine · Virology

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