Effect of Demographic Features on Household Residential Mobility in Bida

Abstract

This study examined the impact of demographic characteristics on household residential mobility in Bida, Nigeria. Residential mobility, a critical aspect of urban dynamics, is influenced by various demographic factors including age, income, education level, household size, and employment status. Through a descriptive survey approach, the study administered questionnaires on 385 residents of selected neighbourhoods in the study area with 276 questionnaires, indicating 83.6, returned valid for analysis. The collected data were analysed descriptively with frequency tables, percentage distribution and mean values. Findings of the study indicated a steady pattern of residential mobility across the selected neighbourhoods with high income earners more susceptible to mobility than their low-income counterparts. It was further observed that highly educated and younger households exhibit greater mobility, often seeking improved housing conditions and employment opportunities. In contrast, lower-income households tend to have lower mobility rates, constrained by economic limitations and affordability issues. This implies that economic demographic feature (income, employment and home ownership status) is more effective than social features (age, marital status, religion, cultural and social ties) in determining residential mobility (weighted mean score of 3.55 for social features and 3.66 for economic features). The study highlights the importance of understanding demographic influences on residential mobility to inform urban planning and housing policies aimed at fostering equitable and sustainable urban development by concluding that demographic features indeed influence residential mobility pattern over time. The need for policy formulation, such as improvement of economic possibilities, encouragement of affordable house ownership, and the promotion of education and skill development, are recommended.