THE EFFECTS OF RURAL-TO-URBAN MIGRATION ON THE POVERTY STATUS OF YOUTH IN THE 1980S

The effects of rural-to-urban migration on the poverty status of migra nts have not been adequately explored. Using data from the National Lo ngitudinal Survey of Youth to examine poverty status before and after a rural-to-urban migration, a proportional hazards model of time spent in poverty that begins in rural areas is estimated to determine wheth er moving to an urban area reduces the time spent in poverty while con trolling for individual educational and family characteristics. Result s indicate that moving from a rural to an urban area reduces time spen t in poverty for white and black women but the effects are not statist ically significant for men. Further, to adequately understand the rela tionship between moving to an urban area and poverty, the analysis exa mines the effects of moving on the length of time spent not employed.