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Research ArticleArticles

Income Inequality and Early Nonmarital Childbearing

Melissa S. Kearney and Phillip B. Levine
Journal of Human Resources, January 2014, 49 (1) 1-31; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.49.1.1
Melissa S. Kearney
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Phillip B. Levine
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Abstract

Using individual-level data from the United States, we empirically investigate the role of lower-tail income inequality in determining rates of early nonmarital childbearing among low socioeconomic status (SES) women. We present robust evidence that young low-SES women are more likely to have a nonmarital birth when they live in places with larger lowertail income inequality, all else held constant. We calculate that differences in the level of inequality are able to explain a sizeable share of the geographic variation in teen fertility rates. We propose a model of adolescent decisionmaking that facilitates the interpretation of our results.

  • Received January 2012.
  • Accepted December 2012.

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Journal of Human Resources: 49 (1)
Journal of Human Resources
Vol. 49, Issue 1
1 Jan 2014
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Income Inequality and Early Nonmarital Childbearing
Melissa S. Kearney, Phillip B. Levine
Journal of Human Resources Jan 2014, 49 (1) 1-31; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.49.1.1

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Income Inequality and Early Nonmarital Childbearing
Melissa S. Kearney, Phillip B. Levine
Journal of Human Resources Jan 2014, 49 (1) 1-31; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.49.1.1
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