What are reasons called that compel people to leave an area, such as lack of jobs or safety?

Reasons that compel people to leave an area are known as push factors. These factors create a perception of unwelcome conditions, such as high unemployment rates, inadequate safety, or lack of essential services, which make the environment less desirable for living. Push factors drive individuals or communities away from their current location in search of better opportunities or conditions elsewhere.

For instance, if a region experiences economic decline, residents might migrate to find jobs in more prosperous areas. Understanding push factors is essential in migration studies, as they highlight the negative aspects of a location that influence people's decisions to relocate. In contrast, pull factors refer to the attractive conditions in a new location that draw people in, while migration factors is a more general term and does not specifically describe reasons for leaving. Opportunity costs pertain to the potential benefits an individual foregoes when choosing one option over another, making it irrelevant in the context of migration motivations.