General Findings
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The 2014 Vermont Roots Migration Survey asked people who attended high school in Vermont why they chose to stay in, leave, or return to Vermont. The on-line survey collected information on each respondent's age, home town, present resident, occupation, educational attainment, race, gender, relationship status, and their residential aspirations. In addition, the survey invited each person to explain their residential decision-making story in their own words. The survey received 3,692 responses. Just over half of the respondents were Leavers, 30% of responses came from Stayers, and nearly 20% were from Returnees: people who moved out of Vermont for more than one year and moved back to Vermont.
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For more information on the methods used to conduct this research see the journal article "Risks and Rewards of Using Social Media in Rural Migration Research" in The Northeastern Geographer, in the Publications section of this website.
Reasons for Staying, Leaving, and Returning
Staying "It's home; I've never found any place I'd rather be.”
- Fondness for Vermont's landscapes, a desire to live close to family, and appreciation for Vermont's culture and the state's small size were the leading reasons why stayers chose to remain in Vermont.
- Most stayers value living near family but they do not stay because they have to care for family members.
- Most stayers enjoy living in Vermont.
- Over one-third of Stayer s said they stayed in the state for their work, closely matching the percentage of Leavers who left for work. However, this is gendered. Men are more likely than work to cite work as a factor for staying or leaving.
A journal article titled "Happy to be Home" published in the Professional Geographer by C. Morse and J. Mudgett focuses on the experiences of Vermont Stayers. Please see this information in the "Publications" section of this website.
Leaving
"[I left Vermont because greater opportunity for employment, more diversity, and larger urban environments with lower costs of living are available elsewhere.”
A journal article titled "Longing for Landscape" published in the Journal of Rural Studies by C. Morse and J. Mudgett provides a historical and contemporary analysis of homesickness and identity among Vermont Leavers. Please see this information in the "Publications" section of this website.
"[I left Vermont because greater opportunity for employment, more diversity, and larger urban environments with lower costs of living are available elsewhere.”
- Leavers have many reasons for leaving. No single factor, including work or cost of living was cited by a majority of leavers.
- Some leavers seek work or higher paying jobs outside the state. Others leave to live in urban environments or places with greater cultural diversity. Some leave Vermont because it's too cold!
- A large majority of leavers express homesickness for Vermont. They miss the landscape, family, and Vermont's culture.
A journal article titled "Longing for Landscape" published in the Journal of Rural Studies by C. Morse and J. Mudgett provides a historical and contemporary analysis of homesickness and identity among Vermont Leavers. Please see this information in the "Publications" section of this website.
Returning
“It was time to come home.”
“It was time to come home.”
- Returnees come back to Vermont because they miss the landscape, family, and Vermont's culture and small size.
- A small minority return because they had a new job in Vermont.
- Some returnees say that Vermont's cost of living is high, while others say it is less expensive than other places they have lived.
Additional Research
Leaver Follow-Up Survey, 2014
This on-line survey gathered more information from a sub-set of Leavers. We found that most enjoyed growing up in Vermont, most left for higher education and found work or spouses outside the state. Most visit Vermont regularly, feel deep attachments to Vermont, and still identify as Vermonters. This research is reported on in article "Longing for Landscape" published in The Journal for Rural Studies, cited in the Publications section of this website.
Global Returnees, 2016
This research focused on the experiences of Vermonters who have lived abroad and moved back to the state. We conducted an on-line survey and held several focus groups to gain insight into global returnees' experiences returning home and the ways in which their international experiences and networks may impact Vermont. Global returnees experience diverse emotions upon their return to Vermont, ranging from a sense of isolation, to a feeling of belonging. They use a number of techniques to adjust. They exhibit a high degree of "emotional reflexivity," a capacity to respond to others' feelings and points of view. These findings are analyzed in an article titled The Emotional Geographies of Global Return Migration to Vermont in the journal Emotion, Space and Society. The project is summarized in the following technical report:
This on-line survey gathered more information from a sub-set of Leavers. We found that most enjoyed growing up in Vermont, most left for higher education and found work or spouses outside the state. Most visit Vermont regularly, feel deep attachments to Vermont, and still identify as Vermonters. This research is reported on in article "Longing for Landscape" published in The Journal for Rural Studies, cited in the Publications section of this website.
Global Returnees, 2016
This research focused on the experiences of Vermonters who have lived abroad and moved back to the state. We conducted an on-line survey and held several focus groups to gain insight into global returnees' experiences returning home and the ways in which their international experiences and networks may impact Vermont. Global returnees experience diverse emotions upon their return to Vermont, ranging from a sense of isolation, to a feeling of belonging. They use a number of techniques to adjust. They exhibit a high degree of "emotional reflexivity," a capacity to respond to others' feelings and points of view. These findings are analyzed in an article titled The Emotional Geographies of Global Return Migration to Vermont in the journal Emotion, Space and Society. The project is summarized in the following technical report:
Roots Migration Research Outside of Vermont 2019 - 2023
The Roots Migration survey has been conducted in Missouri (2021) and Nebraska (2019) by Dr Andrew Husa, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and in northern Italy (2022) by Fosca Bechthold, University of Vermont 2023 Honors College graduate. Their publications are listed on the "Publications" page.
The Roots Migration survey has been conducted in Missouri (2021) and Nebraska (2019) by Dr Andrew Husa, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and in northern Italy (2022) by Fosca Bechthold, University of Vermont 2023 Honors College graduate. Their publications are listed on the "Publications" page.