Ethno-Racial and Nativity Group Differences in U.S. Intercounty Migration and Move Distances

This paper examines nativity differences in intercounty migration and move distances for U.S. Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White ethno-racial groups drawing on confidential micro-data samples from the 2007–2011 multiyear ACS. Human capital and spatial assimilation theory guided the research. The analysis shows that net of group differences in individual characteristics, all foreign- and native-born minority groups were significantly less likely to move counties than native-born non-Hispanic Whites. The differential was greatest for foreign-born Hispanics. If nativity is not considered, Asians have a higher rate of intercounty migration than non-Hispanic Whites. The findings for ethno-racial nativity differences in move distances indicated that native born Asians and Hispanics moved comparable distances as native-born Whites but that was not the case for native-born Blacks. All the foreign-born groups moved significantly shorter distances than native-born non-Hispanic Whites. We found that the correlates of migration are consistent with human capital and spatial assimilation theory. Compared to non-migrants, migrants have more education and English language fluency, and are more likely to be men, never married, younger, school attendees, and non-citizens. Longer distance movers are younger, more educated, and residents in mixed nativity households. The examination of racial differences within 13 national origin groups found evidence of racial effects on migration and migration distance for only a few groups. Non-Whites from five of 13 origins had higher rates of county migration than Whites, but those differentials disappeared after controlling for individual characteristics. Non-Whites from Mexico, Honduras and the Dominican Republic migrated significantly shorter distances than did their White co-ethnics.