Impact of the 2005 Gulf Coast Hurricanes on Domestic Migration: U.S. Census Bureau Response

Rodger V. Johnson, U.S. Census Bureau
Justin Bland, U.S. Census Bureau
Charles D. Coleman, U.S. Census Bureau

The Census Bureau produces domestic migration data from administrative records for the population estimates program. The method employs individual income tax data from two consecutive years to determine mover status. The Katrina and Rita hurricanes in August and September of 2005 meant that the usual measurement of domestic migration for the impacted areas would be unlikely to work well. Early examination of returns in 2006 showed large numeric decreases - - this would erode the year-to-year IRS match rates that are a crucial measure of migration. This paper presents: 1) the approach taken to enhance the administrative record method by using National Change of Address Data; and 2) selected measures of inter-state and the inter-county migration data measured by the modified procedure.