Immigrant Settlement Patterns in Metropolitan Chicago

The distribution of the immigrant population reflects a dynamic system that evolves over time and differs by arrival cohort and national origin. Government policies, new information, employment opportunities, housing, racism or other cultural effects may be responsible for subsequent migrations and changes in the population distribution of the foreign-born. Using data from the 5 per cent Public Use Microdata Sample, 1990, this paper compares settlement patterns of immigrant arrival cohorts within metropolitan Chicago, filtered through the lens of Zelinksy and Lee's heterolocalism framework. Cohorts are defined based on period of arrival in the US and by age. The spatial geography associated with each arrival cohort is constructed with respect to areas of relative concentration within the metropolitan area.