Migration, or geographical mobility, is an important component of demographic change. It has major impact on population distribution as people move between cities and suburbs, metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and regions. It is important to know the characteristics of movers–age, race, sex, occupation, income, education, and marital status–in order to assess the impact that migration may have on the areas of origin and destination.

The mobility data in this report are estimates from the March 1980 Current Population Survey (CPS). They are derived by comparing the locations of each respondent's residence in 1975 with current residence in 1980. In the 1970's, there were several significant changes in the residential mobility patterns of Americans. Some of these changes, especially in regional movements, began in the 1960's for Whites but were not evidenced for Blacks until the 1970's. Changes in the patterns of migration to and from metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas of the United States were first seen in the 1970's. These trends are discussed in detail in the following sections. The analysis compares the mobility patterns of persons during the late 1960's, using data from the 1970 census, with patterns found in the Current Population Surveys for the early 1970's and in the last 5 years of the decade.

Tables

Table 1. Detailed Mobility, by Sex, Race, and Spanish Origin [<1.0 MB]

Table 2. General Mobility, by Race, Region, and Type of Residence [<1.0 MB]

Table 3. Mobility and Region of Residence in 1975 and 1980, by Race [<1.0 MB]

Table 4. Detailed Mobility, by Age and Sex [<1.0 MB]

Table 5. General Mobility, by Sex and Single Years of Age [<1.0 MB]

Table 6. General Mobility, by Region and Age [<1.0 MB]

Table 7. Region of Residence in 1975 and 1980, by Age and Race [<1.0 MB]

Table 8. Metropolitan Mobility, by Race and Region [<1.0 MB]

Table 9. Metropolitan Mobility, by Age, Sex, and Relationship to Householder [<1.0 MB]

Table 10. Central-City Mobility, by Age, Sex, and Relationship to Householder [<1.0 MB]

Table 11. Metropolitan Mobility for Families, by Type of Family Household and Age [<1.0 MB]

Table 12. Central-City Mobility for Families, by Type of Family Household and Age [<1.0 MB]

Table 13. General Mobility for Families, by Type of Family Household and Age [<1.0 MB]

Table 14. Metropolitan Mobility for Family Householders, by age of Householder and Ages and Number of Own Children Under 18 Table 14 [PDF. 147K] Metropolitan Mobility for Family Householders, by Age of Householder and Ages and Number of Own Children Un [<1.0 MB]

Table 15. Central-City Mobility for Family Householders, by Age of Householder and Ages and Number of Own Children Under 18. [<1.0 MB]

Table 16. Metropolitan Mobility for Married-Couple Family Householders, by Age of Householder, Family Income, and Number of Own Children Under 18. Table 16 [PDF. 305K] Metropolitan Mobility for Married-Couple Family Householders, by Age of Householder [<1.0 MB]

Table 17. Central-City Mobility for Married-Couple Family Householders, by Age of Householder, Family Income, and Numbe of Own Children Under 18 [<1.0 MB]

Table 18. General Mobility for Married-Couple Family Householders, by Age of Householder, Family Income, and Number of Own Children Under 18 [<1.0 MB]

Table 19. Metropolitan Mobility for Married-Couple Family Householders, by Age of Householder and Number of Own Children Under 5 [<1.0 MB]

Table 20. Central-City Mobility for Married-Couple Family Householders, by Age of Householder and Number of Own Children Under 5 [<1.0 MB]

Table 21. General Mobility for Married-Couple Family Householders, by Age of Householder and Number of Children Under 5 [<1.0 MB]

Table 22. Metropolitan Mobility, by Age, Sex, and Years of School Completed [<1.0 MB]

Table 23. Centeral-City Mobility, by Age, Sex and Years of School Completed [<1.0 MB]

Table 24. General Mobility, by Age, Sex, and Years of School Completed [<1.0 MB]

Table 25. Metropolitan Mobility, by Race, Spanish Origin, and Years of School; Table 26. Centeral-City Mobility, by Race, Spanish Origin, and Years of School Completed [<1.0 MB]

Table 27. General Mobility, by Age, Sex, Marital Status, and Employment Status [<1.0 MB]

Table 28. Metropolitan Mobility, by Age, Sex, Marital Status, Employment, and Major Occupation Group [1.4 MB]

Table 29. Metropolitan Mobility, by Sex, Race, Spanish Origin, Employment Status, and Major Occupation Group [<1.0 MB]

Table 30. Central-City Mobility, by Age, Sex, Employment Status, and Major Occupation Group [<1.0 MB]

Table 31. Centeral-City Mobility, by Sex, Race, Spanish Origin, Employment, and Major Occupation Group [<1.0 MB]

Table 32. Metropolitan Mobility, by Sex, Age, Marital Status, and Income [<1.0 MB]

Table 33. Centeral-City Mobility, by Sex, Age, Marital Status, and Income [<1.0 MB]

Table 34. Metropolitan Mobility of Family Householders, by Race, Age, Region, and Receipt of Public Assistance [1.1 MB]

Table 35. Detailed Mobility of Family Householders, by Race, Region, and Receipt of Public Assistance [<1.0 MB]

Table 36. Metropolitan Mobility, by Age, Race, Family Status, Region, and Poverty Status [2.4 MB]

Table 37. Nonmovers and Movers to SMASA's, By Size of SMSA and Selected Characteristics [<1.0 MB]

Others in Series

Publication

Internal Migration and Mobilty in the U.S. : March 1949 to March 1950

1951

This report identifies and explains internal migration in the United States during March 1949 to 1950.

Publication

Marital Status and Living Arrangements: March 1980

October 1981

Detailed tabulations provide statistics on the marital status and living arrangements of the United States population using data from the 1980 CPS.

Publication

Voting and Registration in the Election of November 1982

April 1982

According to official counts, 86.5 million Americans voted in the November 1980 Presidential elections.

View All

Related Information

Migration/Geographic Mobility Publications

Current Population Survey Publications

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