Regional differences in the characteristics of elderly return migrants

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Sociology
• Migration Studies

Background:

• Return migration among older adults (60+) is a significant demographic phenomenon.
• Previous research often generalizes characteristics of return migrants, potentially overlooking regional variations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and differentiate primary types of return migrants among individuals aged 60 and older.
• To analyze regional variations in return migration patterns and characteristics.
• To challenge the overemphasis on returning to the state of birth in counterstream migration studies.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 1980 census microdata.
• Regional demographic profiling of older return migrants.
• Comparison of return migrants with nonreturn migrants.

Main Results:

• Return migrants (60+) are generally older and more residentially dependent than nonreturn migrants.
• Two primary types of movers identified: provincial return migrants and counterstream return migrants.
• Provincial return migration is most prominent in the South, with notable racial patterns.
• Counterstream return migration is strongest in the Northeast.
• The motivation for counterstream migration may involve returning from retirement locations (e.g., Sunbelt) to previous residences, not necessarily birthplaces.

Conclusions:

• Generalizations about older return migrants obscure important regional differences.
• Provincial and counterstream return migration represent distinct phenomena with differing geographical concentrations.
• Counterstream migration may be better understood as a return to a prior residence after a retirement move, rather than solely a return to a birthplace.