The domino effect: exploring residential mobility in the aftermath of municipal mergers

Bence János Bøje-Kovács; Ismir Mulalic; Marie Louise Schultz-Nielsen

doi:10.1093/jeg/lbaf038

The domino effect: exploring residential mobility in the aftermath of municipal mergers

Bence János Bøje-Kovács^*, Ismir Mulalic, Marie Louise Schultz-Nielsen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

In this article, we investigate the impact of municipal mergers on residential mobility in a quasi-natural experiment setting by examining how the local economic environment and neighbourhood composition respond to the loss of local public administration. Using comprehensive neighbourhood-level data from Denmark spanning 1996 to 2015, we find that the loss of the town hall triggers emigration, leading to a reduction in locally supplied public goods. This affects the local housing market and job availability, leading to lower housing prices, higher wages, and longer commutes. Ultimately, the loss of the town hall has major negative consequences for the inhabitants.

Original language	English
Article number	lbaf038
Journal	Journal of Economic Geography
ISSN	1468-2702
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/jeg/lbaf038
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 23 Sept 2025

Keywords

Municipal amalgamation
Urbanization
Neighbourhood characteristics
Local labor markets

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10.1093/jeg/lbaf038Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

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1 Working paper

The Domino Effect: Exploring Residential Mobility in the Aftermath of Municipal Mergers
Bøje-Kovács, B. J., Mulalic, I. & Schultz-Nielsen, M. L., Jun 2024, 212 ed., Rockwool Fonden Forskning, 39 p. (Study Paper. The Rockwool Foundation Research Unit).
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title = "The domino effect: exploring residential mobility in the aftermath of municipal mergers",

abstract = "In this article, we investigate the impact of municipal mergers on residential mobility in a quasi-natural experiment setting by examining how the local economic environment and neighbourhood composition respond to the loss of local public administration. Using comprehensive neighbourhood-level data from Denmark spanning 1996 to 2015, we find that the loss of the town hall triggers emigration, leading to a reduction in locally supplied public goods. This affects the local housing market and job availability, leading to lower housing prices, higher wages, and longer commutes. Ultimately, the loss of the town hall has major negative consequences for the inhabitants.",

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doi = "10.1093/jeg/lbaf038",

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T2 - exploring residential mobility in the aftermath of municipal mergers

AU - Bøje-Kovács, Bence János

AU - Mulalic, Ismir

AU - Schultz-Nielsen, Marie Louise

PY - 2025/9/23

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N2 - In this article, we investigate the impact of municipal mergers on residential mobility in a quasi-natural experiment setting by examining how the local economic environment and neighbourhood composition respond to the loss of local public administration. Using comprehensive neighbourhood-level data from Denmark spanning 1996 to 2015, we find that the loss of the town hall triggers emigration, leading to a reduction in locally supplied public goods. This affects the local housing market and job availability, leading to lower housing prices, higher wages, and longer commutes. Ultimately, the loss of the town hall has major negative consequences for the inhabitants.

AB - In this article, we investigate the impact of municipal mergers on residential mobility in a quasi-natural experiment setting by examining how the local economic environment and neighbourhood composition respond to the loss of local public administration. Using comprehensive neighbourhood-level data from Denmark spanning 1996 to 2015, we find that the loss of the town hall triggers emigration, leading to a reduction in locally supplied public goods. This affects the local housing market and job availability, leading to lower housing prices, higher wages, and longer commutes. Ultimately, the loss of the town hall has major negative consequences for the inhabitants.

KW - Municipal amalgamation

KW - Urbanization

KW - Neighbourhood characteristics

KW - Local labor markets

U2 - 10.1093/jeg/lbaf038

DO - 10.1093/jeg/lbaf038

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1468-2702

JO - Journal of Economic Geography

JF - Journal of Economic Geography

M1 - lbaf038

ER -

The domino effect: exploring residential mobility in the aftermath of municipal mergers

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The Domino Effect: Exploring Residential Mobility in the Aftermath of Municipal Mergers

Cite this