- Description
- Codes
- Comparability
- Universe
- Availability
- Questionnaire Text
- Flags
- Source Variables
- Editing Procedure
Description
Overview of Migration Variables:
Information on migration was first collected in 1940, out of concern over the impact of the massive internal migration experienced during the 1930's. The original mobility questions referred to "residence five years ago." All subsequent samples except 1950, the ACS and the PRCS (which asked about residence one year ago, see MIGRATE1) used the 5-year reference period. "Residence 5/1 years ago" can be used in conjunction with location of current residence to determine the extent of residential mobility and the resulting redistribution of the population across the various states, metropolitan areas, and regions of the country.
In all years, the first mobility question asked is whether the person lived in the same house in the reference year. Persons such as college students or military personnel were to report their actual residence rather than their legal residence, if the two differed. (The exception is 1940, when college students were enumerated at home rather than at their college locale). Those who answered "yes" (same house) were considered non-movers (and therefore non-migrants) and were asked no further migration questions. Non-movers include those who had moved but had returned to the same house prior to the enumeration or survey. Persons living in group quarters who resided in the same quarters five years ago are included in the non-mover ("same house") category. Movers (the mobile population) are persons living in a different house in the United States at the time of the census or survey than at the reference time. Only those providing sufficient information concerning place of residence during the reference year are included in this category. Missing information is inferred where available from other members of the person's family. Movers include those who lived in a different apartment in the same building, or in the same mobile home or houseboat but at a different location. For the mainland United States censuses, the category "Abroad" includes persons who were residing in a foreign country, Puerto Rico, or an outlying area of the U.S. in the reference period, including members of the Armed Forces and their dependents. For the Puerto Rican censuses, the Puerto Rican territory is considered equivalent to a state, and therefore "Abroad" includes persons who were residing in a foreign country, or any other outlying area of the U.S. in the reference period, including members of the Armed Forces and their dependents, but does not include Puerto Rico.
User Notes on Migration Variables:
- Users wishing to discount college students and/or persons in the Armed Forces from migration trends - or to analyze them separately - might consider using AGE, COLL5YR (College 5 Years Ago), or MILIT5YR (Armed Forces 5 Years Ago) to identify members of these groups. College students were enumerated at home in 1940, but at their college residence thereafter. Members of the Armed Forces were consistently enumerated where they were stationed.
- The number of persons who were living in a different house in the reference year is less than the total number of moves during the 5-year period. Some persons in the same location at the two dates had moved during the 5-year period but by the time of the census or survey had returned to their reference year residence. Other persons who were living in a different house (or in a different county, or metropolitan area, or state) had made one or more intermediate moves.
MIGRATE5 indicates whether a person age 5+ had changed residence since a reference point 5 years ago. Specifically, individuals were asked if they had lived in the "same house" (non-movers) or a "different house" (movers) five years earlier. Those who had moved were to indicate the foreign country or the state, county, and place of their normal residence during the reference year.
The category "Same house" includes all eligible persons who did not move since the reference year, as well as those who had moved but by the enumeration date had returned to their earlier residence. The category "Different house" includes persons who lived in a different house in the reference year. These movers are further subdivided according to type of move (e.g., within the same county or across state lines). The Census Bureau's migration variable supplies the least information for 1990 and 2000, reporting only same/different residence, and, in 2000, additionally identifying those previously living abroad. Therefore, for the 1990-onward samples, MIGRATE5 uses information contained in the IPUMS variable MIGPLAC5 and compatible PUMAs of migration and PUMAs of residence to indicate whether movers migrated between states or within the same state (the same levels of detail in earlier classifications). For movers who migrated between states, a detailed version of MIGRATE5 indicates whether they moved between contiguous or non-contiguous states. In samples with available PUMA information, detailed MIGRATE5 also indicates whether movers moved within or between PUMAs.
Codes and Frequencies
An 'X' indicates the category is available for that sample
Code | Label |
2000
1pct
|
1990
1pct
|
1980
1pct
|
1970
met2
|
1960
1pct
|
1940
1pct
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | N/A | X | X | X | X | X | X |
1 | Same house | X | X | X | X | X | X |
2 | Moved within state | X | X | X | X | X | X |
3 | Moved between states | X | X | X | X | X | X |
4 | Abroad five years ago | X | X | X | X | X | X |
8 | Moved (place not reported) | · | X | · | X | · | · |
9 | Unknown | · | · | · | · | · | X |
Can't find the category you are looking for? Try the Detailed codes
Comparability
In the 1960 census, persons living in Alaska or Hawaii in 1955, but living in other states in 1960, were classified as living in a different state in 1955, even though Alaska and Hawaii were not admitted to the union until 1959. In 1940 (and in 1950 in MIGRATE1), Alaska and Hawaii are not counted as states.
Non-responses to the migration question are coded as "unknown" in 1940 and as N/A in 1960-1970. For 1980-2000, non-responses were replaced by allocated values.
In 1980, responses to questions about migration were coded for only half the persons included in the IPUMS. These cases provide accurate proportional distributions but not correct absolute numbers for the general population. For correct absolute numbers, users should select cases coded as 2 in MIGSAMP and multiply by 2 as well as by PERWT.
MIGRATE1 supplies analogous information about moves since a reference point one year ago, for sample-line persons age 1+ in 1950 and for all persons age 1+ in the ACS and the PRCS.
Universe
- 1940: Persons age 5+. Not living in AK or HI.
- 1960-1970: Persons age 5+.
- 1980: Persons age 5+; 50 percent of cases (see MIGSAMP).
- 1990-2000: Persons age 5+.
Availability
- 2023: --
- 2022: --
- 2021: --
- 2020: --
- 2019: --
- 2018: --
- 2017: --
- 2016: --
- 2015: --
- 2014: --
- 2013: --
- 2012: --
- 2011: --
- 2010: --
- 2009: --
- 2008: --
- 2007: --
- 2006: --
- 2005: --
- 2004: --
- 2003: --
- 2002: --
- 2001: --
- 2000: 5%; 1% old; 1% unwt; 1%
- 1990: All samples
- 1980: 5% state; 1% metro; 1% urban; 1% metro/non-metro
- 1970: 1% state fm2; 1% metro fm2; 1% neigh fm2
- 1960: All samples
- 1950: --
- 1940: All samples
- 1930: --
- 1920: --
- 1910: --
- 1900: --
- 1880: --
- 1870: --
- 1860: --
- 1850: --
- 2023: --
- 2022: --
- 2021: --
- 2020: --
- 2019: --
- 2018: --
- 2017: --
- 2016: --
- 2015: --
- 2014: --
- 2013: --
- 2012: --
- 2011: --
- 2010: --
- 2009: --
- 2008: --
- 2007: --
- 2006: --
- 2005: --
- 2000: All samples
- 1990: All samples
- 1980: All samples
- 1970: All samples
- 1930: --
- 1920: --
- 1910: --
Questionnaire Text
2000 1% |
1990 1% |
1980 1% |
1970 Form 2 Metro |
1960 1% |
1940 1% |
[] Yes, this house --> Skip to 16
[] No, outside the United States - Print name of foreign country, or Puerto Rico, Guam, etc., below; then skip to 16.
[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
[] No, different house in the United States
[] Born after April 1, 1985 - Go to questions for the next person
[] Yes - Skip to 15a
[] No
b. Where did this person live 5 years ago (on April 1, 1985)?
___________________________________________
(If outside U.S., print answer above and skip to 15a.)
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
[] Yes
[] No, lived outside the city/town limits
15a. Did this person live in this house five years ago (April 1, 1975)?
If in college or Armed Force in April 1975, report place of residence there.
[] Yes, this house - Skip to 16
[] No, different house
"Mark Yes, this house if this person lived in this same house or apartment on April 1, 1975, but moved away and came back between then and now. Mark No, different house if this person lived in the same building but in a different apartment (or in the same mobile home or trailer but on a different trailer site)."
b. Where did this person live five years ago (April 1, 1975)?
(2) County: __________________________________________________________
(3) City, town, village, etc.: _______________________________________
(4) Inside the incorporated (legal) limits of that city, town, village, etc.? [] Yes [] No, in unincorporated area
"If this person lived in a different house or apartment on April 1, 1975, give the location of this person's usual home at that time.
Part (1) If the person was living in the United States on April 1, 1975, print the name of the State. If the person did not live in the United States on April 1, 1975, print the full name of the foreign country or Puerto Rico, Guam, etc.
Part (2) If in Louisiana, print the parish name. If in Alaska, print the borough name. If in New York City - print the borough name if the county name is not known. If an independent city, leave blank.
Part (3) If in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island or Vermont, print the name of the town rather than the name of the village or city, unless the name of the town is unknown.
Part (4) Mark Yes if you know that the location is now
inside the limits of a city, town, village or other incorporated place, even if it was not inside the limits on April 1, 1975."
(2) County __________
(3) Inside the limits of a city, town, village, etc.?
[] No
(4) If "Yes," name of city, town, village, etc. __________
"If he lived somewhere else on April 1, 1965, give the address of his usual residence at that time.
For addresses in Louisiana, print the parish name.
For addresses in Alaska, print the borough name.
For addresses in independent cities, print the name of the city and word "city," for example "Baltimore city."
Part (3)
Mark Yes if you know that the address is now inside the limits of a city, town, village, or other incorporated place, even if it was not inside the limits on April 1, 1965."
OR
[] 2. Yes, this house
OR
[] 3. No, different house
a. City or town ____________________
b. If city or town - Did he live inside the city limits? Yes... [] No.... []
c. County ____________________
AND State, foreign country, U.S. possession, etc. ___________________
In what place did this person live on April 1, 1935? For a person who, on April 1, 1935, was living in the same house as at present, enter in Col. 17 "Same house," and for one living in a different house but in the same city or town, enter "Same place," leaving Cols. 18, 19, and 20 blank, in both instances. For a person who lived in a different place, enter city or town, county, and State, as directed in the Instructions. (Enter actual place of residence, which may differ from mail address.)
482. Persons Living in the Same House as in 1935.-For all persons who on April 1, 1935, were living in the same house or structure as at present, enter in col. 17, "Same house," and leave cols. 18, 19, and 20 blank.
483. Persons Living in the Same Place but different House in 1935.-For persons who, on April 1, 1935, were living in a different house but in the same city, town, or village as at present, enter in col. 17 "Same place," and leave cols., 18, 19, 20 blank.
484. Persons Who Have Moved From One place to Another in the United States Since 1935.-for persons who have moved from one place in the United States to another since April 1, 1935, record the place of residence on that date as follows: If the place of residence on April 1, 1935, was a city, town, or village of 2,500 or more, enter the name of the place in col. 17, the county in col. 18, and the State in col. 19, except that for cities of 10,000 or more, the county may be omitted.
485. If the residence on April 1, 1935, was in the open country or in a village of less than 2,500, enter "R" (for rural) in col. 17; the county in which that residence was located, in col. 18; and the State in col. 19.
486. In case of doubt as to whether a place had a population of 2,500 or more, enter the name of the place, with county and State, as if it were definitely known to have more than 2,500 inhabitants.
487. For persons who, on April 1, 1935, had their usual place of residence in one of the outlying Territories or possessions of the United States, or in a foreign country, enter dashes in cols. 17 and 18, and write the name of the Territory or possession, or of the foreign country, in col. 19.
Flags
QMIGRAT5Editing Procedure
There is no editing procedure available for this variable.