Community Change and (Im)mobility: Residential Decisions amidst a Homicide Surge

Jenna Nobles
Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Wisconsin

The dynamic relationship between symptoms of social decay and the residential choices of families is a widely-theorized engine of spatial stratification. We investigate the effects of community traits on residential choice in a setting characterized by substantial increases in violent crime in the late 2000s. We do so by linking several types of data on individuals, families, and the places in which they reside. We find weak evidence of changes in residential location in response to significant changes in place-based conditions. We test several theories for the prevailing pattern of immobility, and consider the potential implications for those who stay in place.