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House prices and marriage entry in China

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  • Wrenn, Douglas H.
  • Yi, Junjian
  • Zhang, Bo

Abstract

Rates of initial marriage have fallen in China since the late 1980s. This study ascribes part of this decline to a rise in house prices over the same period. Chinese social norms mandate the purchase of a home prior to marriage. We hypothesize that this custom, combined with rising house prices, has discouraged young adults from entering marriage for the first time. We test this hypothesis with an instrumental variable duration model using micro data on marriage entry and city-level data on house prices from 2000 through 2005 in urban China. Our results demonstrate that initial marriage rates declined by 0.31% for a 1% increase in house prices. This result is robust across a number of different model specifications.

Suggested Citation

  • Wrenn, Douglas H. & Yi, Junjian & Zhang, Bo, 2019. "House prices and marriage entry in China," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 118-130.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:regeco:v:74:y:2019:i:c:p:118-130
    DOI: 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2018.12.001
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    Cited by:

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    3. Hong Liu & Lili Liu & Fei Wang, 2023. "Housing wealth and fertility: evidence from China," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 36(1), pages 359-395, January.
    4. Li, Feng & Xiao, Jing Jian & Cai, Feiying, 2019. "Wealth, labor supply and life satisfaction: The case of urban housing demolition in China," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 1-1.
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    6. Tan, Jing & Xu, Hao & Yu, Jingwen, 2022. "The effect of homeownership on migrant household savings: Evidence from the removal of home purchase restrictions in China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    7. Liping Liao & Wenjie Wu & Chenglei Zhang, 2022. "Housing prices and the subjective well-being of migrant workers: evidence from China," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(7), pages 3363-3388, October.
    8. Senhu Wang & Yi Wang & Yang Shen, 2023. "The Impact of Supportive Housing Policy Scenarios on Marriage and Fertility Intentions: A Vignette Survey Experimental Study in Shanghai, China," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(6), pages 1-25, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    House prices; Marriage; China; Duration models;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • R21 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Housing Demand

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