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The role of rental income, real estate and rents for inequality in Germany

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  • Charlotte Bartels

    (Socio-Economic Panel at DIW Berlin)

  • Carsten Schroeder

    (Socio-Economic Panel at DIW Berlin and Freie Universitaet Berlin)

Abstract

We quantify the contribution of rental income to pre- and post-government equivalent household income inequality and of housing wealth to net wealth inequality between 2002 and 2017 in Germany by means of a factor decomposition. Further, we differentiate by region types (urban vs. rural, large vs. small municipalities) and federal states. We find that housing wealth, housing ownership and rental income particularly increased in large municipalities and urban areas; that rental income explains an increasing share of income inequality; and that the wealth inequality contribution of primary residence has increased over time, while the contribution of other real estate has decreased. Finally, we find an increasing rent load for the second quintile and the top quintile of the income distribution.

Suggested Citation

  • Charlotte Bartels & Carsten Schroeder, 2020. "The role of rental income, real estate and rents for inequality in Germany," Working Papers 7, Forum New Economy.
    • Handle: RePEc:agz:wpaper:2007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Markus M. Grabka, 2021. "Ungleichheit der Haushaltsnettoeinkommen — Trends, Treiber, Politikmaßnahmen," Wirtschaftsdienst, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 101(7), pages 508-515, July.
    2. Konstantin A. Kholodilin & Sebastian Kohl, 2021. "Rent Price Control – Yet Another Great Equalizer of Economic Inequalities?: Evidence from a Century of Historical Data," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1927, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    inequality; income; consumption; wealth;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution

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