Home after widowhood: a longitudinal study of residential mobility and housing preferences following a partner’s death

Within the housing literature, questions regarding the residential mobility and housing choice of people who have recently transitioned into widowhood remain unanswered – especially when it comes to the differences between widows and widowers. This article utilizes unique Danish administrative panel data to investigate these questions through a case observing and following all widows and widowers between 50 and 90 years of age over a 25-year period. The results show that while both widows and widowers are significantly more likely to move in the years following a partner’s death, but also that widows are more residentially mobile than widowers. Furthermore, the results show that the transition into widowhood increases widows’ likelihood to move closer to their adult children, while both widows and widowers are more likely to downsize following a move. These results indicate that the death of a partner affects the residential situation of men and women differently, even within a Danish context that strongly emphasizes gender equality.