Migration for co‐residence among long‐distance couples: The role of local family ties and gender

Abstract When long‐distance couples start living together, the decision about where to co‐reside has important repercussions, as long‐distance moves often lead to the loss of local ties. Drawing on Danish population register data on long‐distance opposite‐sex couples and cross‐classified multi‐level statistical analyses, we explore each partner's share in the total distance moved at the start of their co‐residence. We examine the influence of local ties to family and gender asymmetries. Our findings indicate that women tend to bridge the larger share of the distance when moving into co‐residence. Living close to non‐resident children, parents or siblings and having resident children lower one's share in the total distance moved. Men's local ties to non‐resident family have more influence than women's, while women's resident children seem to exert more influence. Our results suggest that traditional gender patterns shape couples' decision‐making about where to live together and who migrates the greater share of the distance.