Family Migration Decisions

1978/10/01 by Jacob Mincer · 1,223 citations
Economics, Econometrics and Finance · Social Sciences · #Demographic economics #Earnings #Economics #Externality #Family ties #Labour economics #Microeconomics #Migration and Labor Dynamics #Regional Economics and Spatial Analysis #Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies

paper · open access · doi:10.1086/260710

published in Journal of Political Economy 86(5), 749-773 (University of Chicago Press)

openalex publication_date 1978/10/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

An economic definition of family ties relevant to migration decisions leads to the exploration of their effects on the probability of migration, on consequent changes in employment and earnings of family members, and on family stability. It is shown that ties represent negative "personal" externalities which are usually, but not always, internalized by the family. ties tend to deter migration, to reduce the employment and earnings of migrating wives, and to increase the employment and earnings of their husbands. The growth of labor market attachment of women creates an increase in migration ties, which both deters migration and contributes to marital instability. Conversely, growing marital instability stimulates migration and reinforces the upward trends in women's labor force participation.

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