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Determinants of Urban Migration: Evidence from Chinese Cities

Author

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  • Aimin Chen

    (Department of Economics, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809, USA, ecchen@isugw.indstate.edu)

  • N. Edward Coulson

    (Department of Economics, Penn State University, State College, PA 16802, USA, fyj@psu.edu)

Abstract

This study seeks the causes of variation in the amount of migration to Chinese cities over the period of 1995-99. We use a city fixed-effect model with lagged values of 'pull' factors for each city. While wage income shows no significant influence on migration, per capita gross city income does, suggesting that migrants seek returns above and beyond mere wages. Our regression results show that cities with high ratios of the manufacturing and service sectors grow most rapidly. We find that the developmental environment and the job-creation potential of the private sector, indicated by the number of proprietors per capita, make a significant difference in attracting migrants. Except for government fiscal expenditures, we find the attributes of the quality of urban life, such as housing-market conditions and transport, have little explanatory power.

Suggested Citation

  • Aimin Chen & N. Edward Coulson, 2002. "Determinants of Urban Migration: Evidence from Chinese Cities," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 39(12), pages 2189-2197, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:39:y:2002:i:12:p:2189-2197
    DOI: 10.1080/0042098022000033818
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Ana I. Moreno-Monroy & Shu Yu & Victoria Euse, 2016. "Urban Employment in Small Businesses and the Level of Economic Development: Evidence from Chinese Cities," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(1), pages 53-71, March.
    2. Shuming Bao & Örn B. Bodvarsson & Jack W. Hou & Yaohui Zhao, 2011. "The Regulation Of Migration In A Transition Economy: China'S Hukou System," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 29(4), pages 564-579, October.
    3. Bodvarsson, Örn B. & Hou, Jack W. & Shen, Kailing, 2014. "Aging and Migration in a Transition Economy: The Case of China," IZA Discussion Papers 8351, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Siqi Zheng & Yuming Fu & Hongyu Liu, 2009. "Demand for Urban Quality of Living in China: Evolution in Compensating Land-Rent and Wage-Rate Differentials," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 38(3), pages 194-213, April.
    5. Tang, Mingzhe & Coulson, N. Edward, 2017. "The impact of China's housing provident fund on homeownership, housing consumption and housing investment," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 25-37.
    6. Zelai XU & Mary-Françoise RENARD & Nong ZHU, 2007. "Migration, urban population growth and regional disparity in China," Working Papers 200730, CERDI.
    7. Stefan Gravemeyer & Thomas Gries & Jinjun Xue, 2010. "Poverty in Shenzhen," Working Papers CIE 28, Paderborn University, CIE Center for International Economics.
    8. Thomas Gries & Manfred Kraft & Manuel Simon, 2016. "Explaining inter-provincial migration in China," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 95(4), pages 709-731, November.
    9. Elena Oleinik & Alyona Zakharova, 2019. "City: economic growth and social attractiveness issues," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 7(1), pages 454-470, September.
    10. Stefan Gravemeyer & Thomas Gries & Jinjun Xue, 2008. "Discrimination, Income Determination and Inequality – The case of Shenzhen," Working Papers CIE 16, Paderborn University, CIE Center for International Economics.
    11. Vakulenko, Elena, 2012. "Migration in Russian cities: Econometric analysis," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 25(1), pages 25-50.

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