Firm migrations in the United States: magnitude and trends

Abstract

Population statistical programs such as the American Community Survey and Current Population Survey provide statistics on internal migration and geographic mobility within the United States. Although these statistics are a useful proxy for internal shifts in economic activity, they leave unanswered questions on business migrations: What types of businesses move? Where are they going? And where did they come from? This article is an initial attempt to fill these data gaps by using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics longitudinal Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program. We measure the magnitude of business migration across regions and highlight the characteristics of those businesses. We will show how business migration has trended over time, in what specific industries and regions migrant businesses are concentrated, and how their employment and wages compare with the rest of the economy.