Staying or moving? Residential reasoning among older adults living in rural and urban disadvantaged areas

Disadvantaged areas may prompt or force older people to relocate due to a lack of services, the presence of crime, and area unattractiveness, but knowledge in this area is insufficient. The aim was to investigate whether older adults living in different types of disadvantaged areas in Sweden were considering moving away from the area, and to explore similarities and differences in underlying residential reasoning among older adults from urban or rural areas. Interviews (N = 41) and survey data (N = 460) from adults 65 years and older (231 men; 244 women) living in deprived urban areas and depopulated rural areas in Sweden were used. Data were analyzed statistically or with thematic qualitative analysis. The majority had no intention of moving away from the area, and residents in rural areas were generally more prone to stay than those in urban areas. Reasons motivating both staying and moving were related to area features and services, attachment and belonging, social relationships, and the home. Considerations such as disagreements between spouses, weighing pros and cons, and potential turning points showed the complexity of the reasoning process. This study challenges the common belief that area characteristics are the main reasons for older adults to move. Older adults in depopulated rural areas prefer to stay, while living in disadvantaged areas can be a potentially vulnerable situation. Crime and social disorder can trigger uncertainty and a desire to move. More research is needed to explore how older adults cope with living in disadvantaged areas and identify the resources they need.