This report provides detailed statistics on the geographical mobility of Americans. The data were collected in the March 1986 Current Population Survey. In previous years, the migration reports in this series have included an analytical text. However, this year a new approach is being adopted in an attempt to speed the publication of the data. In this new format, the reports will consist primarily of data tables, without any corresponding analytical text. We plan to issue more detailed analysis of these and related migration data from other sources in a new series of subject-specific analytical reports providing in-depth treatment of trends of topical interest.

This publication does, however, include a few highlights of some of the most important changes that have occurred since last year, with particular reference to the rates of movement and changes in regional patterns of population movement. The text tables provided in the report summarize data from the detailed tables on these and additional subjects.