From this early peak, the annual mobility rate drops steadily with age. Counties with a high percentage of family households with children are likely to retain their populations for several possible reasons. Families with children may be more likely to belong to formal institutions like the YMCA or a church. Also, children's informal friendship networks could create more contact among families. Two other factors have a straightforward economic link with migration potential.
People often postpone a home purchase until they decide to settle in an area.
Once they make the plunge, however, their financial and other investment in their homes seems to tie them even more strongly to their community. It is also no surprise that counties with a strong job base for their residents are less likely to lose those residents to other areas. Education, it seems, decreases one's ties to a local area. Higher education is clearly associated with increased mobility for two reasons. First, it tends to increase the geographic range for a person's possible employment, because a wider range of employers want people with the specialized skills taught in college and technical schools.