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Power Couples: Changes in the Locational Choice of the College Educated, 1940–1990

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  • Dora L. Costa
  • Matthew E. Kahn

Abstract

College educated couples are increasingly located in large metropolitan areas. These areas were home to 32 percent of all college educated couples in 1940, 39 percent in 1970, and 50 percent in 1990. We investigate whether this trend can be explained by increasing urbanization of the college educated or the growth of dual career households and the resulting severity of the colocation problem. We argue that the latter explanation is the primary one. Smaller cities may therefore experience reduced inflows of human capital relative to the past and thus become poorer.

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  • Dora L. Costa & Matthew E. Kahn, 2000. "Power Couples: Changes in the Locational Choice of the College Educated, 1940–1990," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 115(4), pages 1287-1315.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:qjecon:v:115:y:2000:i:4:p:1287-1315.
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    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • R2 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis

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