Becoming a young migrant or stayer seen through the lens of 'householding': Households 'in flux' and the intersection of relations of gender and seniority

► The concept of 'householding' bridges the migrant vs. stayer divide in migration research. ► Relations of relative seniority capture intra-household dynamics better than chronological age. ► Relations of relative seniority are gendered. ► Households are in flux due to life-cycle related events and processes of rural transformation. ► Young women are most inclined to migrate as well as most inclined to stay in rural Lao households.