Statistics of Income County-to-County Migration Data: An Overview

Abstract

The aim of this document is to present some basic information and general trends in the data used to create the PERC county-to-county migration overview map. As such, the analysis is limited only to variables used on the map: namely, non-migrant population, immigration and emigration rates, exemptions per return, and average incomes. The document contains possible explanations and interpretations of certain features exhibited by the data. I analyze counties using four basic dimensions: (1) population, (2) income per capita, (3) population growth, and (4) income per capita growth. For each dimension I investigate how the situation evolved over time and how a given dimension relates to other variables in the dataset. These data reveal trends occurring in the US economy and shed light on how the economic situation of particular counties fits in the bigger picture.