Changing Spatial Patterns of Internal Migration in Germany: Behavioural Shifts or Population Ageing Effect?
2026-07-13
A key characteristic of developed societies is population ageing, driven by low fertility and rising life expectancy. In this context, migration has become an increasingly important driver of population change and its spatial distribution. While several studies have examined the impact of population ageing on overall migration intensities, far fewer have investigated how regional population ageing affects spatial patterns of internal migration. Using data for 400 German districts, we employ a decomposition analysis to disentangle how shifts in age composition and age‐specific migration behaviour have shaped migration flows across the urban–rural continuum from 1991 to 2024. Our findings indicate that changing spatial patterns of internal migration have been driven by behavioural shifts, particularly among young adults. However, shifts in age composition have become more important in recent years. In particular, the decrease in migration to large cities since 2011 is largely due to population ageing in urban, intermediate and rural counties.