# Reason for moving

**URL:** <https://forum.ipums.org/t/reason-for-moving/1723>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [May 3, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/reason-for-moving/1723 "2017-05-03T16:16:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gerrard30](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/439d5e/32.png) [@Gerrard30](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Gerrard30)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/reason-for-moving/1723/1 "2017-05-03T16:16:00Z")

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I am trying to learn more about people’s reasons for migrating out of a particular region of Virginia. From what I can determine, the CPS includes the reason for moving, but not the county of origin, while the ACS data includes the county of origin, but not the reason for moving. Is this assessment correct?

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**Author:** ![JeffBloem](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.ipums.org/jeffbloem/32/40_2.png) [@JeffBloem](https://forum.ipums.org/u/JeffBloem)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/reason-for-moving/1723/2 "2017-05-04T15:24:00Z")

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Yes, this assessment is correct. Analysis of migration behavior is always challenging with public use microdata. One of the challenges is that only the CPS data has a question eliciting a stated reason for moving.

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**Author:** ![Gerrard30](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/439d5e/32.png) [@Gerrard30](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Gerrard30)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 3:40pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/reason-for-moving/1723/3 "2017-05-04T15:40:00Z")

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Thank you again Jeff. Your answers have been very helpful.