Immigration and Sprawl: Race/Ethnicity, Immigrant Status, and Residential Mobility in Household Location Choice

Abstract

This paper, using 1990 census microdata, investigates immigrants' residential location choices that are relevant to urban sprawl. Regression models of two location choices are separately estimated, in which households choose from areas with different levels of residential density and new residential development. Measures are taken to account for the lagged effects in residential adjustment. Research results indicate that race/ethnicity and immigrant status are among the most salient determinants of residential location; minorities are more likely to reside in high-density and older neighborhoods; Latino immigrants have higher likelihood of residing in those areas than Asian immigrants; while immigrants are somewhat more likely to live in low density over time, they do not indicate a clear propensity for new residential area. Recent immigrants are not likely to be the culprit of urban sprawl.

Keywords: Urban Sprawl, Race/ethnicity, Immigrant Status, Residential Location Choice

JEL Classification: R14