Are poor households less likely to migrate? Evidence from rural Nepal

Nepal, a mountainous developing country with a large marginalized rural population, has adopted out-migration as a key strategy for improving livelihoods and socioeconomic development. This study examined how poor rural households in Nepal decide to migrate. Data were gathered from 640 rural households using purposive random sampling in 2024. Household poverty was measured using data from the 2022–2023 Nepal Living Standard Survey. A logit regression model was applied to analyze the decision for migration, and the association between income distribution and migration was assessed using quantile regressions. Logit regression showed that nearly 38 % of poor rural households are less likely to migrate because the rural poor face challenges such as high migration costs and credit constraints. Quantile regressions indicated that income and migration status are especially pronounced in low-income households. The high remittance flows from migrating members are due to the high financial burden of repaying loans to bear the migration costs. Policy efforts should focus on reducing poverty by creating economically viable opportunities and generating conducive economic conditions that reduce the need for migration.