本研究採用量化研究方法分析有關美國跨州移民現狀及其因素。本研究以群聚經濟學與制度因素為基礎，評估每州之創造性與自由度。創造性及制度自由度為自變數，而國稅局2004年至2008年期間跨州移民的實證資料為本研究之依變數。 教育、氣候、人數、距離及殺人罪率之代表變項為本研究之可控變數。

本研究採用SPSS 17.0 軟體之多元線性回歸功能，分析34個模式。所有模式高達顯著的結果，其R2值皆相當高。研究結果顯示創造性與循環移民高達正顯著關係。在自由度方面，經濟自由、個人自由及整體自由皆是極顯著之循環及引力形移民之預測因素。除教育之外，所有之可控變數顯著預測移民流動。另外，本研究也創出新的整體自由變數，稱為FRASERMPFI，在自變數中表現最佳。

本研究之結果牽涉到上班組、企業家及決策單位，欲可以為未來美國之經濟發展及自由推廣之參考資料。

This is a quantitative study aimed at analyzing the migration patterns across the fifty United States of America and the determinants thereof. This research is founded upon the theories and study of agglomeration economies and institutional factors to evaluate each state in terms of creativity and freedom. Values for creativity and institutional freedom serve as the independent variables. The dependent variable is actual state to state migration data during the 2004-2008 period from the Internal Revenue Service. Measures for education, climate, population, distance, and crime rates serve as control variables in this study.

All 34 models of this study were analyzed via multivariate linear regression using the SPSS 17.0 software package. All models were highly significant with high coefficients of determination. The results show that creativity is highly significantly and positively correlated with circulatory migration flows. Economic, personal, and overall freedom were very significant predictors of migration in terms of attraction and circulation. Apart from education, all the control variables examined were significant predictors of migration flows. This study also creates a new measure of overall freedom: the FRASERMPFI, which outperformed all other independent variables.

The results of this study have several implications for workers, businesses, and policy makers. It is hoped that the results of this study can serve as a reference for future economic growth and promotion of freedom in the U.S.

Table of Contents
Thesis Approval Sheet..................................................................................................................i
Acknowledgements .....................................................................................................................ii
摘要 ......................................................................................................................................... iii
Abstract .................................................................................................................................... iv
List of Tables ............................................................................................................................ vii
Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Research Background ........................................................................................................ 1
1.2 Research Motivation .......................................................................................................... 2
1.3 Research Questions............................................................................................................ 3
1.4 Thesis Structure ................................................................................................................. 4
Chapter 2: Literature Review ..................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 5
2.2 Theories of Migration and its Determinants ....................................................................... 5
2.3 Agglomeration Economies ............................................................................................... 10
2.4 Institutions...................................................................................................................... 15
2.5 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 22
Chapter 3: Hypothesis and Model Development ........................................................................ 23
3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 23
3.2 Dependent Variables – Individual and Household Migration Data (lnMIGRATE) ............ 23
3.3 Independent Variables – Agglomeration Economies ........................................................ 25
3.3.1 Creativity Index Variables (CREATEA, CREATEB, CREATEDIFF, and CREATEPROD) ............................................................................................................... 25
3.4 Independent Variables – Institutions ................................................................................ 26
3.4.1 Mercatus Economic Freedom Index (MEFIA, MEFIB, MEFIDIFF, and MEFIPROD) ......................................................................................................................................... 26
3.4.2 Mercatus Personal Freedom Index (MPFIA, MPFIB, MPFIDIFF, and MPFIPROD) . 27
3.4.3 Mercatus Overall Freedom Index (MOFIA, MOFIB, MOFIDIFF, and MOFIPROD) . 27
3.4.4 Fraser Economic Freedom Index (FRASERA, FRASERB, FRASERDIFF, and FRASERPROD) ................................................................................................................ 28
3.5 Control Variables ............................................................................................................ 29
3.5.1 Education (EDUA, EDUB, EDUDIFF and EDUPROD) ............................................ 29
vi
3.5.2 Heating Degree Days (HDDDIFF) ............................................................................ 30
3.5.3 Annual Sunny Days (SUNNYDIFF) ......................................................................... 31
3.5.4 Population Product (lnPOPPROD) ............................................................................ 32
3.5.5 Distance (lnDISTANCE) .......................................................................................... 32
3.5.6 State Homicide Rates (MURDERDIFF) .................................................................... 33
3.5.7 MSA Homicide Rates (MSAMRDRDIFF) ................................................................ 33
3.5.8 Dummy Variables – Contiguous States (BORDER) and Shared MSA (SHAREMSA) ......................................................................................................................................... 34
3.6 Note on Terminology Used .............................................................................................. 35
3.7 Model Development ........................................................................................................ 35
Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Results ........................................................................................ 41
4.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 41
4.2 Descriptive Statistics ....................................................................................................... 41
4.3 Attraction Variables ......................................................................................................... 43
4.4 Attraction and Circulation Variables ................................................................................ 47
4.5 Push/Pull Variables ......................................................................................................... 51
4.6 New Index: FRASERMPFI.............................................................................................. 55
4.7 Correlation Matrix of Independent Variables and Summary of Analysis Outcomes .......... 59
4.8 Discussion of Results ....................................................................................................... 62
4.9 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 66
Chapter 5: Discussion, Implications, and Conclusions ............................................................... 67
5.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 67
5.2 Discussion ....................................................................................................................... 67
5.3 Implications ..................................................................................................................... 69
5.4 Limitations and Suggestions for Further Research ............................................................ 70
5.5 Conclusions ..................................................................................................................... 71
Notes ....................................................................................................................................... 73
References ............................................................................................................................... 75
Appendix ................................................................................................................................. 78

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