Cross-sectional analysis is problematic when examining the determinants of migration as
well as its impacts. Panel data may potentially solve the problem by tracking households over
different time periods. Using panel data from household surveys in six provinces in rural China
over 1986 to 1999, this paper examines the determinants of rural-to-urban migration and its
impacts on rural households. We find that number of laborers, income, education level and
village migrating network increase the likelihood of migration for households with no migration
experience as well as households with experience. By estimating the dynamic difference on
migration impacts, at the household level we find that grain output declines by less than 2
percent while net income increases by 16 percent upon migration.