Migration for co-residence among long-distance couples: The role of local family ties and gender

Abstract

When long-distance couples start living together, the decision about where to co-reside has important repercussions, as long-distance moves often lead to the loss of local ties. Drawing on Danish population register data on long-distance opposite-sex couples and cross-classified multi-level statistical analyses, we explore each partner's share in the total distance moved at the start of their co-residence. We examine the influence of local ties to family and gender asymmetries. Our findings indicate that women tend to bridge the larger share of the distance when moving into co-residence. Living close to non-resident children, parents or siblings and having resident children lower one's share in the total distance moved. Men's local ties to non-resident family have more influence than women's, while women's resident children seem to exert more influence. Our results suggest that traditional gender patterns shape couples' decision-making about where to live together and who migrates the greater share of the distance.