Later-Life Migration in The Netherlands: Propensity to Move and Residential Mobility

Abstract

As the populations age, there is a growing potential for later-life migration. In this study, the residential moving behavior of older adults in the Netherlands is examined. On the basis of pooled data from the Housing Research Netherlands (HRN) survey, we were able to reveal which factors are likely to influence considerations about moving and actual mobility. The results support the premise that residential mobility decreases with age. The strongest predictors of actual mobility were factors associated with the dwelling, while the neighborhood, particularly the extent of social cohesiveness, played a substantial role in explaining the older adults’ propensity to move.