The purpose of this paper is to analyze changes in selected social indicators through life and relate these changes to the population dynamics of SMSAs. The research examined the relationship between changes in levels of living in the 1970s and net migration rates. United States Census data on Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSAs) were used in the analysis. The findings indicated that net migration rates were statistically related to variations in levels of living for SMSAs along with other demographic variables. Levels of living increased more in smaller SMSAs that had positive net migration rates and lower levels of living in 1970. / Master of Urban Affairs