Local Area Inequality and Worker Well-Being

Bibliographic Data

ID9256263
AuthorsMichael D Carr, Michael Carr (0000-0003-4679-956X, University of Massachusetts Boston, corresponding author)
Year2013
Volume71
Issue1
Pages44-64
Publication date2013-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueReview of Social Economy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0034-6764 • E-ISSN: 1470-1162
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00346764.2012.707399
OpenAlexW2149828218
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited28

This paper uses General Social Survey data linked to Census data to investigate the effect of local area income and income inequality on worker well-being. Others have found a robust negative correlation between reference group income and self-reported well-being. However, in many cases the reference group is defined as a large geographic area. This paper adds to the literature in two ways. First, it considers multiple nested geographic reference groups with US data. Second, it explicitly considers income inequality in addition to the level of income. It is found that both income and income inequality are positively associated with well-being at the census tract level, but negatively associated at the county level. Further, the effect of inequality on well-being decreases as income increases at the census tract and county level, while it increases at the state level

Census · Census tract · Demographic economics · Economic inequality · Economics · Geography · Income distribution · Income inequality metrics · Inequality · Population · Social inequality · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Statistics · Survey data collection · Demography · Employment and Welfare Studies · Mathematics · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies

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