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Inferring regional well-being from individual revealed preferences: the 'voting with your feet' approach

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  • Alessandra Faggian
  • M. Rose Olfert
  • Mark D. Partridge

Abstract

Individuals reveal their preferences for alternative locations as they 'vote with their feet'. Persistent positive net migration indicates that on net, individuals expect their well-being, based on both economic and non-economic factors, to be greater in the destination region compared with the origin. Other measures of well-being are highly subjective either because they rely on surveys or because they aggregate quasi-objective measures using subjective weights. We show key relationships between population change and two key determinants--local natural amenities and per capita incomes, finding that revealed preference measures are likely more reflective of well-being in North America than in Europe. Copyright 2011, Oxford University Press.

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  • Alessandra Faggian & M. Rose Olfert & Mark D. Partridge, 2011. "Inferring regional well-being from individual revealed preferences: the 'voting with your feet' approach," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 5(1), pages 163-180.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:cjrecs:v:5:y:2011:i:1:p:163-180
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