The Survey of Income and Program Participation as a Source of Migration Data

Panel surveys are a natural source of information on migration and residential mobility. The blossoming of panel surveys during the 1970s, which includes several surveys conducted as part of evaluation components of the Income Maintenance Experiments and Experimental Housing Allowance Programs, has yet to produce a commensurate expansion of migration research. The U.S. Bureau of the Census has recently initiated the Survey of Income and Program Participation(SIPP), designed to improve United States statistics on the distribution of income and wealth and participation in government programs. SIPP panels collect data for 2½-year periods from a minimum of 12,000 households, making them ideal for geographical mobility research. Utilization of panel surveys for migration research during the 1970s and the potential contribution of SIPP during the 1980s are discussed.