Social characteristics of out-migrants, non-migrants and in-migrants in a high in-migration county, Hamblen County, Tennessee

This study investigated social characteristics by migration pattern for two populations of individuals in Hamblen County, Tennessee—young adults reared in Hamblen County and household heads presently residing in Hamblen County. In the study of 868 young adults reared in Hamblen County it was found that non migrants and out migrants differed significantly in several characteristics. Out migrants had a higher level of education than nonmigrants, more home items, better educated parents, higher age, more mobile fathers, and differed in occupation of fathers. No significant differences were found in the two groups in the place where father was reared, number of siblings, and number of home items owned by parents. Comparisons were also made for non migrants and migrants residing in each of three different areas. Differences were greater for migrants who left the region than return migrants, migrants residing in adjacent counties, or non migrants. Persons in the latter three categories differed in few characteristics. Regression analysis was also made on the number of migrations and nine social characteristics. In the study of 575 male household heads residing in the county, in migrants were found to have significantly more home items than nonmigrants, a higher income, to differ in occupation, and to have more children than non migrants. The differences in age and education were not significant for the two groups. Differences were more pronounced for those migrating from outside the region, while those moving in from adjacent counties were similar in social characteristics to non migrants. The findings of this study were compared with those of other selected migration studies. Education was found to be a discriminating variable in many of the studies.