Status Inconsistency and Geographic Mobility in the United States

Shih-Keng Yen and Ernesto F. L. Amaral

Working Papers from U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies

Abstract: This study examines how neighborhood status and individual status jointly shape geographic mobility in the United States. Drawing on restricted-use American Community Survey data, we conceptualize neighborhood status as the relative standing of a census tract’s median family income compared to demographically similar reference neighborhoods, and individual status as a household’s relative income rank within its tract. Building on comparison theory and status inconsistency perspectives, we test whether mismatches between neighborhood and individual status influence short-distance (within-county) and long-distance (between-county) mobility. Multinomial logistic models reveal that disadvantaged neighborhood status increases within-county mobility, particularly when paired with high individual status, supporting spatial assimilation arguments. Conversely, low individual status in high-status neighborhoods heightens mobility, consistent with relative deprivation theory rather than status signaling. Results suggest that status inconsistency plays a central role in residential decision-making and that neighborhood status primarily affects short-distance mobility. The findings advance research on stratification and internal migration by integrating relative contextual and positional mechanisms.

Keywords: Neighborhood status; individual status; status inconsistency; geographic mobility; internal migration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D31 J61 R21 R23 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-03
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-mig and nep-uep
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https://www2.census.gov/library/working-papers/2026/adrm/ces/CES-WP-26-20.pdf First version, 2026 (application/pdf)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cen:wpaper:26-20

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