After our class discussion on Monday, I found this interesting article that talks about the relationship between location and the odds of moving up the income ladder. The study looks at factors such as education, family structure, and the economic layout of metropolitan areas to see how they affect socio-economic mobility. Variation in mobility does not seem to be related to average income of an area, as Seattle and Atlanta (two cities with similar average incomes) have disparaging upward mobility rates. The study found that some of the highest rates occurs in the West, the Northeast, and the Great Plains of the United States.
If you visit the website, it shows a map of the USA shaded based on upward mobility. It also includes a calculation where you can input location and parents' earnings to determine what the likely income of the child will be. It is important to note that while location plays a determining factor for middle-class and poor children, affluent children are likely to grow up to be affluent (unsurprisingly).
The study determined income mobility to be highest in areas with a high percentage of two-parent households, better education systems, and more civic engagement (including participation in religious and civic groups). These factors are tied to the themes of religiosity, industriousness, marriage, and honesty discussed by Murray.
No comments:
Post a Comment