The population enumeration data from Census 2011 includes some interesting tables that reveal patterns in migration of people across India, and importantly the reasons behind this migration.

For instance, in 2011 — about 38 of every 100 persons enumerated were considered migrants¹, which suggests that they had moved to the place of enumeration from elsewhere.² Out of these 38, about 25 were women.³

In other words, about a quarter of India’s population was formed by women who had moved to a place other than where they were born. Marriage is commonly quoted as a key reason for this migration. Census data reveals that about 2 of every 3 women migrants had moved for marriage.⁴

Still, over 100 million women in India had migrated for reasons other than marriage — including for work, for business, or for education.⁴ As the nation rapidly develops, migration from rural to urban areas for economic opportunities is considered a key driver of mobility — and this includes mobility of women.

Let’s take a closer look at Census 2011 data to find the state-level patterns of women migrating from rural areas to urban areas for work or employment.

Women migrating for work or employment

The following visualization displays state-level aggregates of the number of women moving from rural areas (left) to urban areas (right) for work.
Scroll over this visualization to view patterns and numbers.

Notice that Maharashtra had the most number of women who left rural areas to seek work in urban areas. A vast majority of these women migrated to urban areas within Maharashtra as compared to other states:

This pattern of women migrating for work within the same state is recurring — with some variations, here is the example of Uttar Pradesh:

Now, let’s look at Census 2011 data to find the state-level patterns of women migrating from rural areas to urban areas for business.

Women migrating for business

The following visualization displays state-level aggregates of the number of women moving from rural areas (left) to urban areas (right) for business.
Scroll over this visualization to view patterns and numbers.

Did you notice that Uttar Pradesh lead the states in the most number of women who migrated from rural areas to urban areas for business:

Next, let’s find the state-level patterns for women migrating from rural areas to urban areas for education.

Women migrating for education

The following visualization displays state-level aggregates of the number of women moving from rural areas (left) to urban areas (right) for education.
Scroll over this visualization to view patterns and numbers.

Here, Andhra Pradesh had the most number of women who migrated from rural areas to urban areas for education — again, mostly within the state:

A related question that we can answer through census data is which states do the highly educated women with graduate or technical degrees migrate to?

Women’s education levels and migration

The following visualization displays the state-level aggregates of women migrants with technical degrees or other graduate degrees. It also includes aggregates for illiterate women migrants for comparison.
Use the drop-down list to select the education level, scroll over to view numbers.

Notice that Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu had the largest number of women migrants with technical degrees. In comparison, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar had the largest number of illiterate women migrants.

References

1. Total population from Table D-1 APPENDIX — 2011: POPULATION CLASSIFIED BY PLACE OF BIRTH, AGE AND SEX. Total migrants from Table D-3: MIGRANTS BY PLACE OF LAST RESIDENCE, DURATION OF RESIDENCE AND REASON FOR MIGRATION — 2011
2. See Page 18, Census of India 2011 Meta Data
3. Total female migrants from Table D-3: MIGRANTS BY PLACE OF LAST RESIDENCE, DURATION OF RESIDENCE AND REASON FOR MIGRATION — 2011
4. Total female migrants and females with reason of migration as marriage from Table D-3: MIGRANTS BY PLACE OF LAST RESIDENCE, DURATION OF RESIDENCE AND REASON FOR MIGRATION — 2011
5. Data from Table D-3: MIGRANTS BY PLACE OF LAST RESIDENCE, DURATION OF RESIDENCE AND REASON FOR MIGRATION — 2011. The following filters are applied:
   Area Name: All individual states | Place of enumeration: Urban | Duration of residence: All durations of residence | Last residence: Only individual states. When origin and destination is the same state — the number for “Within the state of enumeration but outside the place of enumeration” is used |Last Residence type: Rural
6. Data from Table D-4: MIGRANTS BY PLACE OF LAST RESIDENCE, AGE, SEX, EDUCATIONAL LEVEL AND DURATION OF RESIDENCE — 2011. The following filters are applied:
   Area Name: All individual states | Place of enumeration: Total | Duration of residence: All durations of residence | Age group: All ages | Last residence: Total | Education levels: Technical degree or diploma equal to degree or post-graduate degree (Females), Graduate and above other than technical degree(Females), Illiterate (Females)