This evolutionary transformation has been described by Longino (1995) along with discussions of how the changes affect migration patterns: “So long as there is a perceived quality of life difference in the environments at origin and destination, the better quality of life will attract new residents who are retired. Retirees who moved into and have lived in a Sun Belt community for 10 or 15 years will often complain that the quality of life has declined since they arrived, and they often blame the decline on the retirees who followed them and those who keep coming.

The reason they keep coming is that even in its decline, as viewed by migrant oldtimers, there is still a quality of life advantage as compared with where the new migrants originated. When the difference narrows, however, it begins to choke off in-migration and generate new pressure for retirement out migration from the destination. People who retire in Sun Belt cities sometimes subsequently move to less crowded places with greater scenic beauty, too, and feel that they have traded up on their quality of life.”