Neighbourhood perceptions and residential mobility

Abstract

This paper considers the ways in which neighbourhood perceptions can differentially affect residential mobility, particularly in low-income areas. Given the long history of understanding the relationship between neighbourhood context and residential mobility, this study includes measures of satisfaction, safety, decay and neighbourly agency to understand mobility. Using data from the Making Connections Initiative, this paper uses a unique panel survey across neighbourhoods in 10 US cities undergoing spatial and/or demographic transitions to analyse the extent to which neighbourhood perceptions are associated with residential mobility. By employing a multilevel structural equation model, the study accounts for neighbourhood perceptions, neighbourhood demographics and mobility risk over time. The results show that perceptions of neighbourhood context matter more than the actual neighbourhood setting. These findings highlight the continued importance of subjective rather than objective measures of neighbourhood conditions in understanding residential mobility.