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The impact of hurricanes and floods on domestic migration

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  • Sheldon, Tamara L.
  • Zhan, Crystal

Abstract

Migration is a possible adaptation to climate change. We employ FEMA disaster declaration data and American Community Survey data to study household post-disaster migration choices. We find that natural disasters increase households’ propensity to migrate both out of their county but within their greater metropolitan area, as well as out of their greater metropolitan area, by up to one percentage point. However, low-income households are especially less likely to move following disasters associated with less FEMA aid. We also find that disaster-affected migrants favor safer destinations. While migrating households appear to factor disaster risk reduction into relocation decisions, the results imply the need for incentivizing and aiding migration for vulnerable populations who are less likely to do so on their own.

Suggested Citation

  • Sheldon, Tamara L. & Zhan, Crystal, 2022. "The impact of hurricanes and floods on domestic migration," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:115:y:2022:i:c:s009506962200081x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2022.102726
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    Cited by:

    1. Rayamajhee, Veeshan & Paudel, Jayash, 2024. "The social behavior of immigrants during natural disasters: Lessons from the United States," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(3), pages 614-633.
    2. Rushaine Goulbourne & Amir B. Ferreira Neto & Amanda Ross, 2024. "Do businesses “vote with their feet” Too? Examining firm mobility in response to hurricane risk," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 73(3), pages 945-978, October.
    3. Meier, Sarah & Elliott, Robert J.R. & Strobl, Eric, 2023. "The regional economic impact of wildfires: Evidence from Southern Europe," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    4. Susana Ferreira, 2024. "Extreme Weather Events and Climate Change: Economic Impacts and Adaptation Policies," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 16(1), pages 207-231, October.
    5. Raphaelle G. Coulombe & Akhil Rao, 2023. "Fires and Local Labor Markets," Papers 2308.02739, arXiv.org.
    6. Yong Chen & Myungjin Kim & Sultana Fouzia, 2024. "Climate-related disaster exposure and regional migration," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 73(2), pages 795-824, August.
    7. Bakkensen, Laura A. & Ma, Lala & Muehlenbachs, Lucija & Benitez, Lina, 2024. "Cumulative impacts in environmental justice: Insights from economics and policy," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    8. Gauri Sreekumar & Sabuj Kumar Mandal, 2024. "Impact of Social Connections on Flood-induced Migration Among Rural Agricultural Households: Empirical Evidence from India," Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Springer, vol. 8(3), pages 513-539, November.
    9. A. Bukvic & C. W. Zobel, 2024. "Flood-induced mobility in rural and urban coastal jurisdictions: a homeowner’s perspective," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 177(11), pages 1-23, November.
    10. Mavisakalyan, Astghik & Otrachshenko, Vladimir & Popova, Olga, 2024. "Natural Disasters and Acceptance of Intimate Partner Violence: The Global Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 17172, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Natural disaster; Severity; Out-migration; Risk; Propensity score; Income;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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