Metropolitan areas as redistributors of population

It is argued that the spatial patterns of placeEties collectively held by potential metropolitanEtoEnonmetropolitan migrants are broader than those held by potential nonmetropolitanEtoEmetropolitan migrantsF Consistent with this argu mentD it is hypothesized that metropolitan migration fields are asymmetricalD i.e., outEmigration fields are more cosmopolitan than inEmigration fields for the period 1965-1970 within the United StatesF The hypothesis is accepted generallyD and the asymmetry is found to be greatest for the largest metropolitan areas, some of which were also experiencing net out-migration during the periodF It is concluded that the microElevel concept of placeEties and the macroElevel concept of migration fields are important inputs to the understanding of population redistribution patterns.