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Using moving-industry data to depict U.S. migration patterns
Growth and Change
|April 1, 1996
Summary
Migration analysis can be improved using data from the American Moving Conference (AMC). Adjusted AMC shipment data provide timely estimates of state-level migration, even for years lacking official statistics.
Area of Science:
- Demography
- Applied Statistics
- Sociology
Background:
- Accurate migration analysis is crucial for policy-making.
- Existing migration data sources are often outdated, limiting timely insights.
- The American Moving Conference (AMC) represents the professional moving industry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of using AMC shipment data for estimating state-level migration.
- To develop timely gross in-migration, out-migration, and net migration rates.
- To provide migration estimates for years lacking official data.
Main Methods:
- Utilized inbound and outbound shipment data from the AMC.
- Adjusted shipment data for migrant household size and professional moving industry market share.
- Analyzed data for 1990-1991 and extended to 1992-1994.
Main Results:
- Adjusted AMC shipment data offer useful, though imperfect, migration estimates for 1990-1991.
- The adjusted data accurately reflect major migration trends over the past decade.
- AMC-based estimates provide migration data for 1992-1994, filling gaps in official statistics.
Conclusions:
- AMC shipment data, when appropriately adjusted, serve as a valuable proxy for migration analysis.
- This method enhances the timeliness of migration data, aiding researchers and policymakers.
- The approach offers a practical solution for obtaining migration estimates in the absence of official data.