Migration Status and Subjective Well-Being in Later Life: Evidence of Higher Life Satisfaction among Older Migrants in India

Migration status and later life intersect in complex ways, as earlier migration experiences may have a lasting effect on well-being in older age. This study uses 30,158 samples aged 60 and above from nationally representative data, the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave 1 (2017–18). Subjective well-being was measured through life satisfaction scores derived from a five-item scale. Multivariable linear regression models were employed to estimate the association between migration and life satisfaction, adjusting for socio-demographic, economic, and health-related covariates. The adjusted model revealed that inter-state migrants reported significantly higher life satisfaction compared to non-migrants (β = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.32–0.95, p < 0.001), while intra-state migration was not statistically significant. By migration streams, urban–urban migrants (β = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.22–0.95, p < 0.01) and urban–rural migrants (β = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.15–1.50, p < 0.05) exhibited significantly higher life satisfaction, whereas rural–urban (β = 0.14; 95% CI: –0.17–0.46) migrants did not differ considerably from non-migrants. Higher education, urban residence, and better economic status were positively associated with life satisfaction, while widowhood, living alone, depression, and functional limitations were negatively associated. However, the coexistence of higher life satisfaction with poorer health outcomes observed in related studies highlights the multidimensional nature of well-being. The study calls for migration-sensitive aging policies that address social support, healthcare accessibility, and gender disparities to promote healthy and fulfilling aging among India’s older population.