Why do people move to cities? 

We move because something in our life changes. We finish school. We start uni. We find a partner. We split from a partner. We have kids. We chase a promotion. We get sick of traffic. We need a bigger home. We want to be closer to mum. We want to be further away from everyone who knew us at school. 

Migration is rarely just an economic act. 

Urban geography research found that people move through a series of life-course stages and change their locations accordingly. 

Young adults move for study, first jobs, friendship networks and the chance to reinvent themselves.

Couples move when two careers must be balanced in one household.

Young families move when the apartment that felt exciting at 27 becomes too small at 35.

Older Australians move for climate, care, family, health services or simply a more manageable home.  

Cities and regions have different offerings. 

Cities offer jobs, universities, big hospitals, airports, nightlife, career ladders, specialist services, deep dating pools, professional networks and anonymity.

Cities match workers to employers, students to institutions, patients to specialists, migrants to communities and lonely people to other lonely people. 

Regional areas offer different things – space, affordability (at least in theory), nature, community, family support, lower congestion and a slower daily rhythm.

Regions sell the backyard, the beach, the mountain view, the local footy club, the shorter commute and the grandparents around the corner. 

Neither bundle is objectively better. The best place is the one that matches your life stage and personal preferences. 

A 22-year-old often needs density. A 35-year-old with two children wants space. A 70-year-old might look for comfortable climate, health care and proximity to family.

Many people change their postcode several times throughout their lifetime. 

Employment data from the past 10 years shows how regional and urban migration magnets changed. 

The two visuals compare employment by industry in metropolitan Australia (defined as the Greater Capital City Statistical Areas) and in regional Australia (all areas outside the capital cities). 

Between 2015 and 2025, metropolitan Australia added about 2.13 million jobs. That’s employment growth of 26 per cent. Regional Australia added about 661,000 jobs, growth of about 18 per cent. Put differently, 76 per cent of all new jobs were big city jobs. 

The big cities won the raw jobs race. No surprise there. Cities have deeper labour markets and more specialised employers.

If you are a lawyer, consultant, software worker, finance professional, corporate........

© The New Daily