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Measuring the Well-Being of the Poor Using Income and Consumption

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Author Info
Bruce D. Meyer
James X. Sullivan

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Abstract

We evaluate consumption and income measures of the material well-being of the poor. We begin with conceptual and pragmatic reasons that favor income or consumption. Then, we empirically examine the quality of standard data by studying measurement error and under-reporting, and by comparing micro-data from standard surveys to administrative micro-data and aggregates. We also compare low reports of income and consumption to other measures of hardship and well-being. The closer link between consumption and well-being and its better measurement favors the use of consumption when setting benefits and evaluating transfer programs. However, income retains its convenience for determining program eligibility.

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Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number 9760.

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Date of creation: Jun 2003
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Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:9760

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty

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  4. Bound, John & Krueger, Alan B, 1991. "The Extent of Measurement Error in Longitudinal Earnings Data: Do Two Wrongs Make a Right?," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 9(1), pages 1-24, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  5. James M. Poterba, 1991. "Is the Gasoline Tax Regressive?," NBER Working Papers 3578, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  6. Bound, John, et al, 1994. "Evidence on the Validity of Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Labor Market Data," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 12(3), pages 345-68, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  8. Bollinger, Christopher R & David, Martin H, 2001. "Estimation with Response Error and Nonresponse: Food-Stamp Participation in the SIPP," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 19(2), pages 129-41, April.
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  10. V. J. Hotz & J. K. Scholz, . "Measuring Employment and Income for Low-Income Populations with Administrative and Survey Data," Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Papers 1224-01, University of Wisconsin Institute for Research on Poverty. [Downloadable!]
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  1. Hong Wang & Winnie Yip & Licheng Zhang & William C. Hsiao, 2009. "The impact of rural mutual health care on health status: evaluation of a social experiment in rural China," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 18(S2), pages S65-S82. [Downloadable!]
  2. Zhongliang Zhou & Jianmin Gao & Qinxiang Xue & Xiaowei Yang & Ju'e Yan, 2009. "Effects of Rural Mutual Health Care on outpatient service utilization in Chinese village medical institutions: evidence from panel data," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 18(S2), pages S129-S136. [Downloadable!]
  3. Hilary W. Hoynes & Diane Schanzenbach, 2007. "Consumption Responses to In-Kind Transfers: Evidence from the Introduction of the Food Stamp Program," NBER Working Papers 13025, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  4. Michael Hurd & Susann Rohwedder, 2006. "Consumption and Economic Well-Being at Older Ages: Income- and Consumption-Based Poverty Measures in the HRS," Working Papers wp110, University of Michigan, Michigan Retirement Research Center. [Downloadable!]
  5. repec:ese:iserwp: is not listed on IDEAS
  6. James X. Sullivan, 2005. "Borrowing during unemployment: unsecured debt as a safety net," Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, issue Apr. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  7. Dahlberg, Matz & Johansson, Kajsa & Mörk, Eva, 2008. "On mandatory activation of welfare receivers," Working Paper Series 2008:24, IFAU - Institute for Labour Market Policy Evaluation. [Downloadable!]
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  8. Michael Hurd & Susann Rohwedder, 2006. "Economic Well-Being at Older Ages: Income- and Consumption-Based Poverty Measures in the HRS," Working Papers 410, RAND Corporation Publications Department. [Downloadable!]
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  9. Jonathan Fisher & David Johnson, 2006. "Consumption Mobility in the United States: Evidence from Two Panel Data Sets," Topics in Economic Analysis & Policy, Berkeley Electronic Press, vol. 6(1), pages 1474-1474. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Jane Waldfogel, 2007. "Welfare Reforms and Child Well-Being in the US and UK," CASE Papers /126, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE. [Downloadable!]
  11. Patricia M. Anderson & Bruce D. Meyer, 2005. "Unemployment Insurance Tax Burdens and Benefits: Funding Family Leave and Reforming the Payroll Tax," Working Papers 0601, Harris School of Public Policy Studies, University of Chicago. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  12. Erich Battistin & Richard Blundell & Arthur Lewbel, 2007. "Why is Consumption More Log Normal Than Income? Gibrat's Law Revisited," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 671, Boston College Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  13. Neeraj Kaushal & Qin Gao & Jane Waldfogel, 2006. "Welfare Reform and Family Expenditures: How are Single Mothers Adapting to the New Welfare and Work Regime?," NBER Working Papers 12624, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  14. Cherchye, L. & Rock, B. de & Vermeulen, F.M.P., 2008. "Economic Well-Being and Poverty Among the Elderly: An Analysis Based on a Collective Consumption Model," Discussion Paper 2008-15, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  15. Atasoy, Sibel & Mills, Bradford F. & Mykerezi, Elton, 2008. "Intensity of Food Stamp Use and Transient and Chronic Poverty: Evidence from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics," 2008 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2008, Orlando, Florida 6541, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association). [Downloadable!]
  16. Thomas J. Kniesner & James P. Ziliak & W. Kip Viscusi, 2004. "Life-Cycle Consumption and the Age-Adjusted Value of Life," NBER Working Papers 10266, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  17. Joachim Winter, 2004. "Response bias in survey-based measures of household consumption," Economics Bulletin, Economics Bulletin, vol. 3(9), pages 1-12. [Downloadable!]
  18. Kerwin Kofi Charles & Melvin Stephens, Jr., 2006. "The Level and Composition of Consumption Over the Business Cycle: The Role of %u201CQuasi-Fixed%u201D Expenditures," NBER Working Papers 12388, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  19. Bruce D. Meyer & Wallace K. C. Mok & James X. Sullivan, 2009. "The Under-Reporting of Transfers in Household Surveys: Its Nature and Consequences," NBER Working Papers 15181, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
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