Migration data in Alaska based derived from Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) applications, 2000-2018

This dataset provides information on human population by census area in Alaska, and migration between census areas, using the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) applications to determine area of residence. Using the PFD as the source for this information has the advantage that the data have broad in-state coverage at an annual level, since most (~90% in 2017) Alaska residents submit applications. These data have the disadvantage that they may lag on new migrants from outside the state, however, because new migrants aren’t eligible for the PFD until they’ve lived in Alaska for one calendar year. Additionally, PFD data do not capture people who don’t live here long enough to qualify for a PFD. This archival record contains an excel file of migration data broken down by census area, age, and gender, downloaded from the State of Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development website (accessed 2019-02-20, http://live.laborstats.alaska.gov/pop/migration/PFDMigrationByAgeBySexBCA.xls). More information on the PFD-based migration data can be found here: http://live.laborstats.alaska.gov/pop/migration.cfm. Also contained in this record is an RMarkdown document which accesses the archived excel file, reformats the file, and plots migration information for Cook Inlet boroughs.