This paper analyses the latest (2005) data available from the World Bank’s InternationalComparison Program (ICP). It assesses the extent to which the prices of goods and services in New Zealand (NZ) differ from those observed in other OECD countries, and Australia in particular. The main...

This article analyzes San Antonio's competitiveness compared with a group of peer MSAs defined by similar attributes of location, industry composition, demographics, tourism and population size. Our analysis finds that San Antonio remains very economically competitive and likely will continue to...

The broadest and most commonly used measure of the cost of living across U.S. cities is the American Chamber of Commerce Research Association (ACCRA) index. This index is used by business and government organizations and the media to rank living standards and real wages across U.S. cities. In...

This paper studies quality of life for urban neighborhoods and their determinants in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA). First, hedonic price regressions for residential prices are augmented with neighborhood characteristics, based on a real estate database with indicators on each...

An intriguing look into why widows increasingly live alone

Middle American incomes rise substantially even while inequality increases

Consumption trends suggest middle class continuing to get ahead.

Anxiety over middle class living is complex, but probably not as warranted as the hand-wringing might suggest.

This paper analyzes various dimensions of the quality of life in Montevideo. The paper finds that satisfaction with various public goods and services at the neighborhood level play a minor role in the overall reported well-being of individuals and in the satisfaction of life domains, such as...

A closer look at hourly wages.

Corpus Christi tempts tourists with miles of beaches, sea breezes, an arts and museum district, waterfront restaurants, shopping and more. It is also home to a major seaport, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, a large health care system, military bases, refineries and chemical plants. Port...

The composition of the U.S. population will change significantly in coming decades as the decline in fertility rates following the baby boom, coupled with increasing longevity, leads to an older population. This demographic shift will likely have a dramatic effect on the long-run prospects for...

The housing market is a central macroprudential policy concern in France due to the significant proportion of residential property loans in bank balance sheets and the high weight of housing in household wealth. The surge in house prices at the start of the 2000s means we cannot rule out the...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the additional needs andassociated financial costs of disability from the perspective of disabledpeople themselves. The research took place at a time when it isrecognised that disabled people have a range of additional needs andcosts (Large, 1991) and...

Inflation is often assumed to affect all people in the same way. In practice, differences in spending patterns across households and differences in price increases across goods and services lead to unequal levels of inflation for different households. In this paper, we measure the degree of...

Most of us, from the general public to professional economists, use the term inflation pretty loosely. It’s increasingly applied to any rise in prices, and even economists use it interchangeably with a rise in the cost of living. This Commentary explains what inflation is, why it should be...

Since most people judge their well-being by comparison with others, widening inequality of lifetime incomes may threaten our standing as a "land of opportunity."

Lists of the best places to live in the United States are as controversial and subjective as lists of Oscar nominees. A simple economic principle, though, can make the rankings much more objective and reflective of the average person's views.

This paper provides the first application of the compensating differential paradigm to the evaluation of the extent and sources of evolution in quality-of-life among U.S. states. In addition to providing estimates of quality-of-life rankings for U.S. states over the 1981-1990 period, we use...

A methodology is developed for constructing quality-of-life comparisons for metropolitan areas in which the full bundle of an area's attributes is valued, rather than the typical method of focusing on individual characteristics.

The U.S. standard of living has been slipping relative to living standards in other industrial nations. While there is no easy road to national wealth, reducing the federal budget deficit appears to be the most dependable policy to enhance the future U.S. living standard.

In 1996 the natural resource base of the world is being depleted at a rate far below the sustainable level. This is very evident in less developed countries (IDC), where raw limited natural resources are being poorly utilized and/or exported to more developed countries (MDC). The More Developed...

transmitted to the Legislature February 15, 1915.