Residential mobility and strength of social ties: Regional analysis in Finland

Abstract

<p>Multiple factors can influence the rates of residential mobility flows between different<br>subregions of a country. Studies have often focused on demographic and economic factors,<br>but social conditions may be relevant as well. We examined whether the strength of social<br>ties (i.e., social support, loneliness, social trust, community and cultural activities, and<br>meeting other people) were associated with population migration rates across 299<br>municipalities of Finland. Data for the social characteristics were derived from the large<br>Regional Health and Wellbeing study (n=100,750 respondents) aggregated to the level of<br>municipalities using multilevel regression with post-stratification. Residential mobility rates<br>were derived from census data. Municipalities with higher levels of social support, higher<br>social trust, more cultural activities, and more frequent social contacts had higher net<br>migration rates, that is, more people moving in than out of the municipality.<br>Social support and cultural activities were more strongly associated with (higher) inmigration<br>than with out-migration rates. Social trust and frequency of meeting people were<br>more strongly associated with (lower) out-migration than with in-migration. The findings<br>provide empirical support for the hypothesis that regions with stronger social ties are more<br>attractive destinations for within-country residential mobility<br></p>