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Using the Census Bureau’s Master Address File for Migration Research
Using the Census Bureau’s Master Address File for Migration Research
Working Paper Number ADEP-WP-2024-01
Abstract
The U.S. Census Bureau created the geospatial Master Address File (MAF) database as a frame of domiciles with addresses, census geographies, and precise geocodes in the U.S. In addition to the MAF, the Census Bureau links individuals to domiciles in the MAF-Auxiliary Reference File (MAF-ARF) on a yearly basis since 2000. These data are available for research purposes in a restricted-use environment, yet there is limited research using these data and minimal documentation of the files. We address this by describing the MAF and MAF-ARF in detail. We estimate internal migration rates using the MAF-ARF and compare the results to other published estimates on migration, and we perform direct comparisons of location history from migration questions in surveys to MAF-ARF location history at the individual-level. Finally, we use these data to create novel estimates of migration distance for movers in the U.S. Through these analyses, we show the power and potential usefulness of these data for various geospatial research and policy applications.
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Page Last Revised - January 23, 2024
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