A Novel Look at Long-run Convergence Dynamics in the United States

Margherita Gerolimetto and Stefano Magrini

International Regional Science Review, 2017, vol. 40, issue 3, 241-269

Abstract: When regional disparities follow a cyclical short-run pattern, convergence analysis results can be sizably distorted. To tackle this issue, we propose a method based on the extraction of the trend from regional income time series that eschews misleading results when the nature of the cyclical pattern changes over time. Using real per capita personal income data for forty-eight conterminous US states and the distribution dynamics approach, we identify the following three distinct consecutive phases: strong convergence (1930–1970), substantial persistence (1971–1980), and divergence (1981–2010).

Keywords: convergence; business cycle; regional disparities; distribution dynamics; time series trend extraction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:inrsre:v:40:y:2017:i:3:p:241-269

DOI: 10.1177/0160017614550081

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