Interactive map shows migration to and from individual counties in 2008

More than 10 million Americans moved from one county to another in 2008, and an interactive map from Forbes magazine allows you to get a detailed picture of those movements for every county. The map was created using Internal Revenue Service data, which tracks inter-county moves of more than 10 people, so very minor migration patterns are not included.

Clicking on a particular county brings up lines (red and black, respectively) showing migration to and from other counties. Moving your cursor carefully across one of the other counties shows not only the number of people moving to and from the two counties, but the average income of each group. (We found many cases of zero movement one way or the other, but none fewer than 10, so we must presume that "zero" actuually means 0 to 9 people.)

The map above shows high levels of migration to and from Benton County, Arkansas, the home of Walmart, which requires major suppliers to move employees to the Bentonville area temporarily to work with the giant retailer. (Click on map to see larger version) Most other rural counties have much less dramatic migration patterns, but because the data are boiled down to actual numbers, not just lines on a map, they offer valuable insight for rural reporters about movements in their particular area. Every county has a story!

This reporter's home county saw 60 people move in 2008 to Fayette County, home of Lexington and the University of Kentucky. Perhaps surprisingly, almost as many people, 55, moved from Fayette to Floyd. Perhaps those were students with degrees moving home, against the "rural brain drain" phenomenon. Other counties with migration lines on this map that don't border Floyd County also have state universities. To make your own maps, go here.