Escapeland: South Dakota as a Destination for Migration Based Primarily on Quality of Life

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the possible emergence of a new trend in voluntary human migration to South Dakota. In the past, economic considerations have been the dominant stimulus for migration. This study attempts to ascertain whether these factors are still primary in importance or if other incentives, particularly concerning quality of life, may be assuming a greater role in motivating migrants. The implied shift in environmental perceptions that such a new trend would suggest forms a secondary theme of this thesis. Areas previously perceived as having limited economic opportunity, and therefore unattractive to most migrants, may now become sanctuaries for those who seek a better quality of life. Various research techniques will be employed in attempting to assess migrant perceptions of the study area and to discover any recent readjustments that may have emerged