Internal migration of the elderly in Korea: A multilevel logit analysis of their migration decision

The present study explores the factors concerning the out-migration decision of the Korean elderly. It utilizes a multilevel model that explores the effects of the interaction between individual attributes and regional characteristics on elderly migration. The findings indicate that probable events in the later stages of the life cycle, such as retirement, loss of spouse, and physical disability, are positively associated with the migration decision. The migration propensity of the elderly varies with the characteristics of their current residence. As expected, the high cost of housing and change in a community may influence the elderly to migrate to other locations. In other words, location-specific attributes of their current residence are related to the migration decision of the elderly. The results indicate that housing prices, relevant welfare facilities, and change in community members play important roles in their out-migration decision.