Household Migration, Urban Growth, and Industrialization: The United States, 1850-1860 / Richard H. Steckel.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Steckel, Richard H.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w2281.

NBER working paper series no. w2281

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Rural-urban migration.

Cities and towns--Growth.

Cities and towns.

Industries--United States--History.

Industries.

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Other Title:

Household Migration, Urban Growth, and Industrialization

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 1987.

Cambridge, Massachusetts : National Bureau of Economic Research, 1987.

Summary:

This paper utilizes a national sample of nearly 1,600 households linked in the census manuscript schedules to investigate causes and consequences of migration to urban areas during the midst of America's industrial revolution. Although record linkage was limited to the subset of households that had at least one child in 1850, the data are relatively rich in socioeconomic information. A regional analysis of migration and occupational change shows that while established households were generally mobile, they were extraordinarily reluctant to commit labor to urban- industrial pursuits. The evidence suggests that the presence of children, retraining costs, lack of control over fertility, risk aversion, and an unfavorable view of urban areas by rural residents contributed to their avoidance of cities and towns. The findings also contribute to debates over the compression of the wage structure and the extent of socioeconomic mobility.

Notes:

Print version record

June 1987.