Neighborhoods, cities, and economic mobility

Abstract

Most of the research literature explaining the level of economic mobility in the United States focuses on characteristics of individuals or families. This article expands the focus beyond the individual and the family to consider features of communities and cities. Although evidence is strong that features of neighborhoods and cities have causal effects on individual economic mobility, there is much less evidence on the most relevant mechanisms. The article reviews the available evidence at both levels of analysis before concluding with a discussion of the implications for social policy.