Neighborhood and housing choices of out-of-town versus local movers: The case of Charlotte, North Carolina

ABSTRACTUsing Charlotte, North Carolina as a case study, we compare the housing and neighborhood choices of out-of-town movers compared to locals. Out-of-town movers, defined as those relocating from more than 200 miles, prompt our analysis of whether external population pressures were distributed evenly throughout the city. We leverage a unique combination of data sources, including neighborhood ”quality of life” indicators from a web-based dashboard and property advertisement text from the Multiple Listing Service. Our findings highlight distinct characteristics of homes and neighborhoods with a higher proportion of out-of-town movers: excellent public schools, single-family homes with upscale kitchens, and fitness amenities. Neighborhoods have a population of highly educated, White residents. In contrast, neighborhoods that are more pedestrian-friendly, bicycle-accessible, or close to public transit and require property renovations tend to attract fewer out-of-town movers. This analysis reveals the unequal demand experienced by high-opportunity neighborhoods in a fast-growing city during the pandemic.KEYWORDS: Residential location choiceneighborhood amenitiesreal estate Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1. Note, in our analysis, the ratio variable is calculated as the distance moved into each neighborhood, the map showing the center of Charlotte is simply for reference purposes.Additional informationNotes on contributorsElizabeth C. DelmelleElizabeth C. Delmelle is an associate professor in the City and Regional Planning Department at the University of Pennsylvania and director of the Master of Urban Spatial Analytics (MUSA) program. Her research centers on processes of neighborhood change, urban inequality, and urban transportation. She enjoys seeking out new data sources and spatial analytical methods to better understand how, why, and when neighborhoods change across multiple dimensions.Isabelle NilssonIsabelle Nilsson is an associate professor in the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences and a faculty member in the Public Policy PhD program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her research interests are focused on housing and transportation. She is especially interested in the effects of public and private investments on household location behavior and how these micro-level behaviors shape intra-urban sorting patterns.Providence AduProvidence Adu is a PhD candidate in geography at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is a former planner for the city of Charlotte. He holds an MS in City and Regional Planning from Clemson University. His research interests and work include housing policy, neighborhood change, segregation, and the application of GIScience and machine learning methods to social science research. He works as a research assistant for the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute.