Data and Code for: Intergenerational Mobility in American History: Accounting for Race and Measurement Error

Principal Investigator(s):  View help for Principal Investigator(s) Zachary Ward, Baylor University

Version:  View help for Version V1

Name File Type Size Last Modified
  adofiles 06/16/2023 11:30:AM
  analysis 02/03/2023 09:54:AM
  build 02/24/2023 02:21:PM
  namebased 02/03/2023 02:21:PM
  stlouis 02/03/2023 02:29:PM
Data_List.xlsx application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet 12.4 KB 06/16/2023 07:34:AM
IPUMS_API.py text/x-python 4.8 KB 06/19/2023 07:46:AM
README.pdf application/pdf 263.8 KB 09/06/2023 11:27:AM
master_kodiak.do text/plain 5.4 KB 06/16/2023 07:33:AM

Project Citation: 

Ward, Zachary. Data and Code for: Intergenerational Mobility in American History: Accounting for Race and Measurement Error. Nashville, TN: American Economic Association [publisher], 2023. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2023-11-27. https://doi.org/10.3886/E184542V1

Project Description

Summary:  View help for Summary A large body of evidence finds that relative mobility in the US has declined over the past 150 years. However, long-run mobility estimates are usually based on white samples and therefore do not account for the limited opportunities available for non-white families. Moreover, historical data measure the father’s status with error, which biases estimates toward greater mobility. Using linked census data from 1850-1940, I show that accounting for race and measurement error can double estimates of intergenerational persistence. Updated estimates imply that there is greater equality of opportunity today than in the past, mostly because opportunity was never that equal.

This archive holds the publicly available data and code accompanying the article. See "Related Publications" below for a link to the PSID data used in the paper. 

Scope of Project

Subject Terms:  View help for Subject Terms intergenerational mobility; measurement error; persistence
JEL Classification:  View help for JEL Classification
      J62 Job, Occupational, and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
      N31 Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy: U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913
      N32 Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy: U.S.; Canada: 1913-
Geographic Coverage:  View help for Geographic Coverage United States
Time Period(s):  View help for Time Period(s) 1850 – 2019
Collection Date(s):  View help for Collection Date(s) 1850 – 1940 (United States Censuses); 1968 – 2019 (Panel Study of Income Dynamics)
Universe:  View help for Universe U.S. individuals and their families
Data Type(s):  View help for Data Type(s) census/enumeration data; survey data

Methodology

Data Source:  View help for Data Source United States Census, 1850-1940
Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 1968-2019
Unit(s) of Observation:  View help for Unit(s) of Observation Individual

Related Publications

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Published Versions

V1 [2023-11-27]

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