Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
[BAC 01], we retain two key indicators: migration intensity and its relative
attractiveness.
Many people move and change their state of residence each year. A large
proportion of those who settle in one state simply replace others who have left, so
that a significant portion of residential migrations has no apparent demographic
effect. From the standpoint of territorial administration, however, it would be
important to fully comprehend the demographic changes brought about through out-
of-state relocation.
From a territorial perspective, residential migration observes populations who
settle in a given territory and those who leave the territory. The analysis of this
migration begins by calculating an arrival rate and a departure rate.
The intensity of migration is the sum of the arrival and departure rates, which is
to say, the calculation of the total migration. This, then, becomes an indicator of
population renewal for each state with respect to migration exchanges with other
states. Low migration intensity would indicate structural stability and a more
sedentary population. High migratory intensity would indicate structural
transformations and high population turnover.
Migratory attractiveness is the difference between the arrival rate and the
departure rate. As such, it expresses net migration flows, i.e., the population changes
that result from inter-state migration. A positive migratory flow indicates a region
that is more attractive to migrants, while a negative migratory flow indicates a
region that is less attractive to migrants. It is interesting to consider not only net
rates, but the gross flows which allow an assessment of population redistribution
among the states.
The relative intensity of domestic migration flows is high for states with small
populations, either because they have limited surface area thus increasing the effects
of short-distance migrations which in fact correspond with suburban sprawl (District
of Columbia), or because they have small populations (Utah, Montana, Alaska,
Hawaii). Relative intensity is low for states with large populations, such as
California and Texas. Beyond these geographical effects, domestic migration has
had significant population effects along the Atlantic coast - especially in the South -
and in the West, excluding California. Internal migrations have had a relatively low
impact elsewhere in southern states and in the Great Lakes region (see Figure 6.7).
