Our research focused on internal migration in Germany between 2000 and 2022 (macro level) and, restricted to the period 2015 to 2020, on the decisions behind these migration patterns at the micro level of households. Subsumed under the concept of residential location decisions, we analysed past migration (i.e., relocations in which the administrative boundary of a municipality is crossed), return migration and residential multilocality as well as long-term staying in rural areas. Intended future residential mobility was also taken into account. We define residential location decisions as recurrent household-related processes of deliberating and negotiating subjectively appropriate residential locations. Typical triggers are internal household changes (so-called status passages) and external factors. Chance and housing opportunities also play a role in residential location decisions...