此份研究之目的，在於以「制度」與「集聚經濟」的角度來調查美國跨州遷移之決定性因素。此研究中的因變量為四個特性不同進行跨州遷移的人口族群，其分別為：移民者整體綜觀(MIGRATE)、22歲至39歲間之移民者(MIGR2239)、22歲至39歲並擁有學士教育水準之移民者(BAMIGR)，以及22歲至39歲並擁有碩士教育水準之移民者(MAMIGR)。
本研究以Mercatus中心與Fraser學會之原始資料來檢視獨立變量其一「制度」。Mercatus中心之經濟自由指標(the MEFI)與整體自由指標(MOFI)表現出五十州居民所享有程度上不同的經濟與整體自由；Fraser學會之經濟自由指標(FIEFI)亦測量經濟自由程度。「集聚經濟」則由Richard Florida之創造力指標(SCI06)所測量的州內創造力程度，以及州內人口擁有學士學位之百分比呈現的教育程度(EDUBPLUS)來體現。至於有關犯罪與氣候為影響遷移之因素已久為眾所知，本研究中亦以「州內最大城市之謀殺率(MURDER)」及「年平均加熱度日(heating degree days)數(HDD)」控制該兩變數。
本研究使用多變量線性回歸分析變項，而研究結果則顯現強調制度與集聚經濟對美國公民做出遷移決定之重要性。以廣泛的經濟與整體自由所表現之「制度」，顯示出比「集聚經濟」對於不同特性之遷移者，具有更顯著的影響力；然而「制度」對於較年輕且受良好教育之族群則相對不具重要性，該族群對於「集聚經濟」─尤其是創造力─展現出偏好。

The purpose of this study is to investigate the determinants of interstate migration in the United States (US) from the perspective of institutions and agglomeration economies. Dependent variables used in this study relate to the net interstate migration of four distinct demographic groups; migrants as whole (MIGRATE), migrants aged between 22 and 39 years of age (MIGR2239), migrants aged between 22 and 39 years of age educated to the undergraduate level (BAMIGR), and migrants aged between 22 and 39 years of age educated to the postgraduate level (MAMIGR).
Independent variables proxying for institutions are sourced from both the Mercatus Center and the Fraser Institute. The Mercatus Center’s economic freedom index (the MEFI) and overall freedom index (MOFI) represent the relative economic and overall freedoms enjoyed by residents of the 50 states. The Fraser Institute’s economic freedom index (FIEFI) also measures economic freedom. Agglomeration economy proxies relate to both creativity levels in state, measured by Richard Florida’s creativity index (SCI06), and education levels, measured by the percentage of a state’s population educated to the undergraduate level (EDUBPLUS). It is well established that crime and climate are factors that influence migration and these variables are controlled for in this study by using murder rates in the largest in-state city (MURDER) and the average annual number of heating degree days (HDD) in a state.
This study uses multivariate linear regression to analyze the variables and the findings emphasize the importance of both institutions and agglomeration economies in explaining the migration decisions of US citizens. Institutions, proxied for by greater economic and overall freedoms, are shown to be more important than agglomeration economies for migrants across a broad range of demographic. Institutions are less important, however, for younger, better educated migrants who reveal preferences for good agglomeration economies and particularly creativity.

Acknowledgements ..............................................................................................................III
摘 要................................................................................................................................ IV
Abstract ................................................................................................................................V
Chapter I: Introduction.........................................................................................................10
1.1. Preamble................................................................................................................10
1.2. Research Motives ..................................................................................................12
1.3. Research Questions ...............................................................................................13
1.4. Structure of the Thesis ..........................................................................................13
Chapter II: Literature review................................................................................................15
2.1. Introduction ...........................................................................................................15
2.2. General Determinants of Interstate Migration ......................................................15
2.3. Agglomeration Economies....................................................................................19
2.4. Institutions.............................................................................................................27
2.5. Conclusions ...........................................................................................................35
Chapter III: Data, Hypotheses and Models ..........................................................................36
3.1. Introduction ...........................................................................................................36
3.2. Dependent Variables: Migration Data ..................................................................36
3.2.1. Overall Migration (MIGRATE) .........................................................................37
3.2.2. Migration of 22 to 39 Year olds (MIGR2239)...................................................38
3.2.3. Migration of 22-39 year olds with an Undergraduate Degree ...........................39
(BAMIGR) ...................................................................................................................39
3.2.4. Migration of 22 to 39 Year olds With a Masters Degree or Higher ..................39
(MAMIGR) ..................................................................................................................39
3.3. Independent Variables: Agglomeration Economies..............................................40
3.3.1. Creativity Index (SCI06)....................................................................................40
3.3.2. Education Levels: Those with an Undergraduate Degree or Higher
(EDUBPLUS) ..............................................................................................................42
3.4. Independent Variables: Institutions.......................................................................44
3.4.1. The Mercatus Center Indices..............................................................................44
3.4.2. The Fraser Institute Economic Freedom index ..................................................48
3.5. Control Variables ..................................................................................................50
3.5.1. Climate: Heating Degree Days (HDD) ..............................................................50
3.3.2. Crime: Murder Rate (MURDER).......................................................................52
3.5.3. Dummy Variable................................................................................................53
3.4. Model Development ..............................................................................................53
Chapter IV: Results and Analysis ........................................................................................58
4.1. Introduction ...........................................................................................................58
4.2. Descriptive Statistics .............................................................................................58
4.2. Net Interstate Migration (MIGRATE) ..................................................................60
4.3. Net Interstate Migration of 22 to 39 Year Olds (MIGR2239) ..............................65
4.3. Net Domestic Interstate Migration; 22 to 39 Year Olds with an ..........................67
Undergraduate Degree (BAMIGR) ..............................................................................67
VIII
4.4. Net Domestic Migrants, 22 to 39 Year Olds, with a Post-Graduate Degree
(MAMIGR) ..................................................................................................................71
4.5. Results Discussion ................................................................................................73
4.6. Conclusions ...........................................................................................................76
Chapter V: Conclusions, Implications and Directions for Further Research.......................77
5.1. Introduction ...........................................................................................................77
5.2 Findings..................................................................................................................77
5.3. Limitations ............................................................................................................79
5.4. Implications...........................................................................................................80
5.5. Further Research ...................................................................................................81
References ............................................................................................................................82
Appendices..........................................................................................................................86

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