Why Do They Move? Different Patterns and Motivations of Intra‐Urban Residential Mobility Among Two Major Ethnic Groups in Rome

ABSTRACT

The study analyses the settlement patterns and residential mobility motivations of the two largest extra‐EU migrant communities in Rome—Bangladeshis and Filipinos—combining unique individual‐level population register data with an original survey data. Adopting an intra‐urban and comparative perspective, it explores how sociodemographic characteristics, community background, and neighbourhood context shape (re)location patterns and underlying motivations. Results show distinct spatial trajectories: Bangladeshis display strong clustering in low‐income peripheral areas, driven by ethnic attraction, affordability constraints, and the consolidation of enclave economies in small‐scale trade. Filipinos, by contrast, exhibit greater spatial dispersion, associated with employment opportunities in domestic and care work within affluent households. While Bangladeshi residential concentration reflects both social support networks and structural barriers in the housing market, Filipino settlement patterns highlight employment‐related mobility and long‐term integration in a niche labour sector. The findings underline the interplay between individual preferences, own‐group preferences, and structural constraints typical of Southern European housing and welfare regimes. By linking residential mobility to labour market segmentation and welfare transformations, the study contributes to a broader understanding of migrant settlement processes and spatial inequality in Southern European cities.