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Title: The Effect of Male Wage Inequality on Female Age at First Marriage

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2002

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Abstract: A model in which women search for husbands characterized by their wages predicts increasing within-group male wage inequality raises the expected value of continued marital search and so lowers female marriage propensities. Using 1970, 1980, and 1990 Census data, I test this hypothesis within geographically-, racially-, and educationally-defined marriage markets. The estimates suggest rising male wage inequality accounted for 7-18 percent of the decline in the propensity to marry between 1970 and 1990 for white women and more educated black women. Growing wage inequality appears to have had little effect on the marriage behavior of less educated black women.

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Authors: Loughran, David S.

Periodical (Full): Review of Economics and Statistics

Issue: 2

Volume: 84

Pages: 237-256

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Education, Family and Marriage, Race and Ethnicity

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