Using Facebook Advertising Data to Estimate Out-Migration From Puerto Rico After Hurricane Maria

Monica Alexander, University of Toronto
Kivan Polimis , University of Washington
Emilio Zagheni, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research

Measuring the extent of out-migration after a natural disaster is essential in understanding the characteristics of those most affected. However, data on migration movements from official sources are often lacking, and those that do exist are often not produced in a timely manner. We illustrate how changes in the population of Facebook users, as obtained through the Facebook Adverts Manager platform, can be used to estimate out-migration from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. Initial estimates suggest there was a 16% increase in the number of Puerto Rican migrants living on the mainland United States in the three months following the hurricane. The majority of migration was to Florida and Pennsylvania. These results illustrate the value of social media data in measuring changes in population characteristics over time, particularly after a shock, such as a natural disaster.

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 Presented in Session 103. Innovative Approaches, Data, and Analytical Strategies in the Study of Migration