The determinants of poverty in the Mexican states of the US–Mexico border

Abstract

This study examines the determinants or correlates of poverty in the Mexican states bordering with the United States. The data used in the paper come from the 2008 National Survey of Income and Expenditures of Households. A logistic regression model was estimated to determine which variables might be important in explaining poverty in this region. It was found that the variables which are positively correlated with the probability of being poor are: living in Coahuila, Tamau­lipas or Chihuahua, size of the household, being an ambulatory worker or working in an agricultural occupation, and being a manufacturing, transportation, sales, domestic service or support worker. Variables that are negatively correlated with the probability of being poor are living in Baja California, the education level of the household head and his/her age. Gender of the household head and household location were not statistically significant in the logistic regression analysis.