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The Impact of Welfare Benefits on Single Motherhood and Headship of Young Women: Evidence from the Census

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  • Francine D. Blau
  • Lawrence M. Kahn
  • FJane Waldfogel

Abstract

This paper uses data from the 1970, 1980, and 1990 Censuses to investigate the impact of welfare benefits across Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) on the incidence of single motherhood and headship for young women. A contribution of the paper is the inclusion of both MSA fixed effects and MSA-specific time trends to account for fixed and trending unmeasured factors that could influence both welfare benefit levels and family formation. In such a model, we find no effect of welfare benefits on single motherhood for whites or blacks, and a positive effect of welfare benefits on single headship only for blacks.

Suggested Citation

  • Francine D. Blau & Lawrence M. Kahn & FJane Waldfogel, 2004. "The Impact of Welfare Benefits on Single Motherhood and Headship of Young Women: Evidence from the Census," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 39(2).
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:39:y:2004:i:2:p382-404
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    Cited by:

    1. Olivier Bargain & Karina Doorley, 2009. "Caught in the Trap? The Disincentive Effect of Social Assistance," Working Papers 200906, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    2. DAVID M. BLAU & WILBERT van der KLAAUW, 2013. "What Determines Family Structure?," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 51(1), pages 579-604, January.
    3. Michael Baker & Emily Hanna & Jasmin Kantarevic, 2004. "The Married Widow: Marriage Penalties Matter!," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 2(4), pages 634-664, June.
    4. repec:pri:crcwel:wp05-24-ff is not listed on IDEAS
    5. González, Libertad, 2005. "The Determinants of the Prevalence of Single Mothers: A Cross-Country Analysis," IZA Discussion Papers 1677, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Robert A. Moffitt & Brian J. Phelan & Anne E. Winkler, 2020. "Welfare Rules, Incentives, and Family Structure," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 55(1), pages 1-42.
    7. Doepke, Matthias & Hannusch, Anne & Kindermann, Fabian & Tertilt, Michèle, 2022. "The Economics of Fertility: A New Era," IZA Discussion Papers 15224, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Rebekah Burroway & David Brady, 2010. "Targeting, Universalism and Single Mother Poverty: A Multi-level Analysis Across 18 Affluent Democracies," LIS Working papers 554, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    9. Gonzalez, Libertad, 2007. "The effect of benefits on single motherhood in Europe," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 393-412, June.
    10. Frish, Roni & Zussman, Noam, 2008. "The effect of transfer payments on the labor supply of single mothers," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 627-643, April.
    11. Yana Kucheva, 2018. "Subsidized Housing and the Transition to Adulthood," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(2), pages 617-642, April.
    12. Struffolino, Emanuela & Bernardi, Laura & Larenza, Ornella, 2020. "Lone Mothers' Employment Trajectories: A Longitudinal Mixed-method Study," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 45, pages 265-298.
    13. David Brady & Rebekah Burroway, 2012. "Targeting, Universalism, and Single-Mother Poverty: A Multilevel Analysis Across 18 Affluent Democracies," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 49(2), pages 719-746, May.
    14. Marah Curtis & Jane Waldfogel, 2009. "Fertility Timing of Unmarried and Married Mothers: Evidence on Variation Across U.S. Cities from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 28(5), pages 569-588, October.
    15. Siv Gustafsson & Seble Y. Worku, 2006. "Marriage Markets and Single Motherhood in South Africa," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 06-102/3, Tinbergen Institute.
    16. Katharine L. Shester & Samuel K. Allen & Christopher Handy, 2019. "Concrete measures: the rise of public housing and changes in young single motherhood in the U.S," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 32(2), pages 369-418, April.
    17. Julien O. Teitler & Nancy E. Reichman & Lenna Nepomnyaschy & Irwin Garfinkel, 2006. "Effects of Welfare Participation on Marriage," Working Papers 933, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    18. Abe, Yukiko, 2013. "Regional variations in labor force behavior of women in Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 112-124.
    19. repec:msl:workng:1008 is not listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I3 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics

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