Migration in Regions of the Near North of Russia with Respect to Provision of Settlements with Social Infrastructure

Regional Research of Russia. 2026. Vol. 16. No. 1. P. 170–181.

N. V. Mkrtchyan

The aim of the study is to assess the provision of all settlements in four regions of the Near North of Russia (Vologda, Kostroma, Kirov, and Yaroslavl oblasts) with social infrastructure institutions and to analyze whether the migration balance of settlements is associated with different provision of these institutions. The study was conducted using data collected from open sources on the availability of educational and healthcare institutions in all settlements as of mid-2024. The analysis also used population data (2010 and 2020 All-Russian Population Census) and anonymized individual data on internal migration for 2011–2020 for all settlements in these regions. The provision of settlements with different types of social infrastructure was assessed depending on their administrative status (district centers, centers of rural municipal settlements, centers of former rural municipal settlements) and the number of residents. Depending on the availability of different types of social infrastructure institutions, the net migration was calculated by type of migration for groups of settlements, including detailed age groups. Using descriptive analysis methods, the relationship between migration and the availability of certain social infrastructure institutions and the general provision of residents with them in their locality was examined. There is a correlation between the migration of people in the youngest working ages (young people of school-leaving age, families with children) and the availability of schools. At the same time, no clear relationship with the availability of healthcare facilities was identified. Settlements located in the suburbs of large cities and even regional centers deviate from the general rules, as their residents primarily use social infrastructure outside their own settlements.

Keywords: internal migration, settlements, Near North, large cities, social infrastructure, administrative centers