The research program of the Center for Economic Studies (CES) produces a wide range of economic analyses to improve the statistical programs of the U.S. Census Bureau. Many of these analyses take the form of CES research papers. The papers have not undergone the review accorded Census Bureau publications and no endorsement should be inferred. Any opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Census Bureau. All results have been reviewed to ensure that no confidential information is disclosed. Republication in whole or part must be cleared with the authors.To obtain information about the series, see www.census.gov/ces or contact

In this paper, we find that higher levels of in-migration dilute multiple dimensions of a community’s social capital, with some measures of a community’s social capital being negatively impacted more than others. Using a spatial model and restricted-access microdata from the US Census Bureau, we employ an instrumental variables strategy to account for the endogeneity of migration. Our results suggest that political activism, overall, is most negatively impacted by in-migration, and that religiosity, trust, and community involvement are impacted more negatively in rural communities compared to non-rural communities.

The research program of the Center for Economic Studies (CES) produces a wide range of economic analyses to improve the statistical programs of the U.S. Census Bureau. Many of these analyses take the form of CES research papers. The papers have not undergone the review accorded Census Bureau publications and no endorsement should be inferred. Any opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Census Bureau. All results have been reviewed to ensure that no confidential information is disclosed. Republication in whole or part must be cleared with the authors. To obtain information about the series, see www.census.gov/ces or contact