Environmental migration during the Great American Drought

Abstract

From 1930 to 1939, a devastating drought affected the USA. To study environmentally induced migration, I develop datasets of environmental conditions (drought, heat, and precipitation) and census data between 1930 and 1940. My analysis shows that people moved from drought during the early and late 1930s. County-level environmental-related depopulation resulted from increased out-migration and decreased in-migration. At the individual level, all occupational categories (farm labor, farmers, general labor, skilled labor, and white collar) moved from severe environmental conditions, though the response varied depending on rural status. Individuals near cities, but not in the cities themselves, were typically the most mobile in response to shocks. While severe conditions impacted migration across much of the Western USA, the Great Plains states witnessed the most dramatic population declines. My findings provide a detailed view of the environmental forces driving 1930s migration, demonstrate responsiveness across labor sectors, and highlight where people left due to environmental conditions.