Net Migration in Nonmetropolitan Counties in 1990-2000: Test of Explanations

Xiaodong Wang, Texas A&M University
Xiuhong You, Texas A&M University

According to the 2000 data, the nonmetropolitan areas resumed a high growth rate of 10% between 1990 and 2000. In contrast, growth rates of metro areas slowed down as a general trend. Only 30% of the growth of nonmetropolitan counties came from natural increase. In other words, 70% of the growth of nonmetropolitan counties comes from net in-migration. Since net migration is the major part of nonmetropolitan population growth, our research focuses on the determinants and explanations of net migration of nonmetropolitan counties. In this paper, 4 explanations are tested, i.e. Period Explanation, Deconcentration Explanation, Regional Restructuring Explanation and Human Ecology Explanation. Deconcentration Explanation received some support from the model we tested. Retirement counties received more in-migrants than non-retirement counties. Counties adjacent to metro areas received more net-migrants than those that are not adjacent. Restructuring and Human Ecology explanations also received moderate support from the model.