Considering the Key Household Member: Migration as a Household Head's Livelihood Choice and Income Growth Trajectory in Rural China
2026-01-27
The debate over whether migration serves as a viable livelihood strategy for enhancing rural household economic development has persisted for decades. Existing research is limited by three key shortcomings: neglecting the roles of key household members, oversimplifying the dichotomy between migrants and nonmigrants, and adopting a static view of household income without considering its growth trajectory. This study addresses these gaps by employing growth curve models and analyzing six waves of data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) spanning the period from 2010 to 2020. We examine how the livelihood choices of rural household heads—farming, local nonfarm work, and migration—affect household income growth trajectories. Our findings indicate that the livelihood choice of the household head is a significant predictor of household income growth. Although migrant‑headed households typically enjoy an economic advantage, the beneficial effects of migration for this depend on the household's life stage, with younger and female‑headed households and those undertaking short‑term migration experiencing more substantial gains. Extending the migration period has minimal effect on accelerating the rate of household income growth. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between migration and rural household economic well‐being in China, thereby advancing the literature on development and gender equity in migrant‐sending areas.