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Per-capita income gaps across US states and Canadian provinces

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  • Basher, Syed A.
  • Lagerlöf, Nils-Petter

Abstract

We propose that per-capita income gaps across US states and Canadian provinces can be explained by university education. Our ordinary least-squares regressions show university education having a robust positive and significant effect on per-capita incomes, when controlling for, e.g. taxes, unionization, government spending, and the sectoral composition of the economy. To control for endogeneity we instrument education today with different historical variables: population density in 1900, railway density in 1900, the sex ratio (men per woman) in 1900, and the fraction slaves in 1850. Our results support a causal link from education to incomes, and the hypothesis that these historical variables are valid instruments. We also find that the Canada dummy is mostly insignificant, and always positive.

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  • Basher, Syed A. & Lagerlöf, Nils-Petter, 2008. "Per-capita income gaps across US states and Canadian provinces," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 1173-1187, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jmacro:v:30:y:2008:i:3:p:1173-1187
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    2. Joshua C. Hall & Dean Stansel & Danko Tarabar, 2015. "Economic Freedom Studies at the State Level: A Survey," Working Papers 15-07, Department of Economics, West Virginia University.
    3. Gregory Brock & Constantin Ogloblin, 2014. "Another look at technical efficiency in American states, 1979–2000," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 53(2), pages 577-590, September.
    4. Benos, Nikos & Karagiannis, Stelios & Karkalakos, Sotiris, 2015. "Proximity and growth spillovers in European regions: The role of geographical, economic and technological linkages," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 124-139.
    5. Daniel L. Bennet, 2016. "Subnational Economic Freedom and Performance in the United States and Canada," Cato Journal, Cato Journal, Cato Institute, vol. 36(1), pages 165-185, Winter.

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