Spatial Distribution and Redistribution of Immigrants in the Metropolitan United States, 1980 and 1990*
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Abstract: Although the distribution of the immigrant population reflects a dynamic system that evolves over time, the existing literature provides limited insight into the evolution of the immigrant settlement system. Government policies, new information on alternative locations, employment opportunities, housing, or cultural effects may be responsible for subsequent migrations and changes in the population distribution of the foreign‐born. Using data from the 1980 and 1990 5 percent Public Use Microdata Samples, I compare the settlement patterns and reasons for migration among foreign‐born cohorts. Cohorts are defined based on period of arrival in the United States and age in 1980 and 1990. The linkage of the 1980 and 1990 census files enables a temporal dimension in the analysis. Although it is not possible to follow individuals over the two periods, aggregate changes in group location and migration patterns can be evaluated. Both period (differences associated with migration over time) and cohort (differences in migration behavior across arrival cohorts within a particular period) effects can be modeled. Of interest are the distribution, redistribution, and magnitude of change in the immigrant settlement system, along with why these adjustments occur for the 25 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. Results indicate that arrival cohorts of different vintages show contrasting responses to the determinants of settlement and migration behavior, although the overall distribution of the foreign‐born population changed little over the two census periods.
