THE IMPACT OF RURAL TO URBAN MIGRATION ON WELLBEING IN AUSTRALIA

In this paper the wellbeing outcomes of rural to urban movers in Australia are studied. This is done using regression techniques to control for observable and unobservable factors that may influence outcomes. Data from the Households, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey is used. It is found that males do not experience any change in wellbeing due to moving, while females experience a 7 per cent increase after 2-3 years. Implications of both economic and psychological theories are discussed in relation to the likely effect of moving upon wellbeing. It is argued that the findings here justify further research into rural wellbeing with a focus on gender specific outcomes.