Healthy Communities Assessment Tool

The Residential Mobility indicator gauges the stability of the population by evaluating the percent of the population living in the same house as the previous year. High levels of mobility reflected by a low percent of residents remaining in the same home from year to year are considered a proxy for multiple, disruptive moves. Residential instability can be economically detrimental to adults, and stress inducing as well, which can contribute to mental and physical health outcomes. The impact of residential instability on children is striking, too. Longitudinal studies show that children who experience housing instability are more likely to experience negative childhood events such as abuse, neglect, depression, criminal activity, household dysfunction, and increased likelihood of smoking and suicide. Residential instability can also affect education outcomes among children, as they are more likely to repeat grades and face school suspensions. Although high residential instability is usually a sign of distress, some neighborhoods have high residential mobility because of less concerning reasons. For example, many college students move between school years. Posted under the Social Cohesion domain, the Residential Mobility indicator is also linked to the Housing, Economic Health, Educational Opportunities, Employment Opportunities and Health Systems and Public Safety domains. This indicator is available from the U.S. Census..