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Housing Wealth, Fertility, and Child Quality

Author

Listed:
  • Mingzhe Tang

    (Shandong University)

  • N. Edward Coulson

    (University of California)

Abstract

We use changes in wealth due to house price changes to test the effect of wealth on fertility and child quality in the context of Chinese fertility policies. We find, even in those situations where the one-child policy is not in effect, that wealth increases do not lead to increased fertility in urban areas, and have only a minuscule effect in the rural areas. However, a rise in housing wealth leads to increased expenditure on the education of children for households in both rural and urban areas (although different types of expenditure) and increased height of children in rural areas. Following Becker (1960), increased wealth shifts the tradeoff between child quality and quantity in favor of the former.

Suggested Citation

  • Mingzhe Tang & N. Edward Coulson, 2022. "Housing Wealth, Fertility, and Child Quality," International Real Estate Review, Global Social Science Institute, vol. 25(1), pages 1-53.
    • Handle: RePEc:ire:issued:v:25:n:01:2022:p:1-53
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    China; fertility; wealth; housing values; one child policy; quality-quantity tradeoff;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • R31 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Housing Supply and Markets
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development

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