Migration in times of re-urbanisation

Large cities in most of Western Europe have grown since the 1990s in contrast to many villages, small towns and rural districts that stagnate or loose population. Moreover, rural and small-town populations often have a large share of elderly people and few younger people. Consequently, it is often assumed that the future belongs to the big cities whereas rural areas and smaller towns are considered settlements of the past. However, the exchange of population between different types of localities; flows from larger cities and other urban settlements to smaller towns and rural districts, is generally neglected. The paper investigates dynamics of urban-rural migration; the numbers, ages, and socio-demographic composition of migrants along with their motivation for moving from urban to rural areas. The paper is based on a large survey among populations in Denmark studying settlement preferences and moving motives which are combined with register data. The paper thereby challenges understandings of migration as a one-directional flow of people from rural to urban settlements.