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Why Has Urban Inequality Increased?

Author

Listed:
  • Nathaniel Baum-Snow
  • Matthew Freedman
  • Ronni Pavan

Abstract

This paper examines mechanisms driving the more rapid increases in wage inequality in larger cities between 1980 and 2007. Production function estimates indicate strong evidence of capital-skill complementarity and increases in the skill bias of agglomeration economies in the context of rapid skill-biased technical change. Immigration shocks are the source of identifying variation across cities in changes to the relative supply of skilled versus unskilled labor. Estimates indicate that changes in the factor biases of agglomeration economies rationalize at least 80 percent of the more rapid increases in wage inequality in larger cities.

Suggested Citation

  • Nathaniel Baum-Snow & Matthew Freedman & Ronni Pavan, 2018. "Why Has Urban Inequality Increased?," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 10(4), pages 1-42, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:10:y:2018:i:4:p:1-42
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/app.20160510
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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