Measuring Residential Mobility: A Historical Overview of Novel Data and Methodological Approaches

This review paper analyzes the evolution of data sources, methods, and challenges in measuring residential mobility in the United States since the turn of the 20th century, focusing on attempts to measure these aspects of residential mobility: (i) its magnitude; (ii) its “why”; and (iii) its spatial and temporal context. The expansion of data and methods has been instrumental in the development of theoretical frameworks and the ability to interrogate key empirical questions over the decades. While imperfect, the recent growth in alternative sources of individual- and household-level mobility data promises to extend the frontiers of residential mobility research.