The mobility of people in isolated urban places.

The research presented in this paper is an exploration of variations in mobility among different types of urban places in the United States. In particular we have tested the significance of one variable -- relative isolation from metropolitan areas or large cities -- as a factor in mobility differentials. Mobility was measured in terms of two components: local mobility in which residence change occurs within the boundaries of a county; and migration in which a residence is changed to another county. Previous research does not provide a clear indication of the influence or relative isolation on either component of mobility. With respect to migration it seems reasonable to expect that the proportion of in-migrants would be greater in the more rapidly growing places which also have tended to be the less isolated ones. Yet in fact we do not know if this is the case. There is evidence that net migration to large SMSAs is directly related to the distance to the nearest larger SMSA (Karp and Kelly 1971 97-99). This suggests the possibility that relatively isolated cities and towns may experience greater in-migration than cities and towns which are more accessible to large cities and SMSAs. (excerpt)