Income Inequality: A State-by-State Complex Network Analysis

Periklis Gogas, Rangan Gupta, Stephen Miller, Theophilos Papadimitriou and Georgios Sarantitis ()

No 2016-18, Working papers from University of Connecticut, Department of Economics

Abstract: This study performs a long-run, inter-temporal analysis of income inequality in the U.S. spanning the period 1916-2012. We employ both descriptive analysis and the Threshold-Minimum Dominating Set methodology from Graph Theory, to examine the evolution of inequality through time. In doing so, we use two alternative measures of inequality: the Top 1% share of income and the Gini coefficient. This provides new insight on the literature of income inequality across the U.S. states. Several empirical findings emerge. First, a heterogeneous evolution of inequality exists across the four focal sub-periods. Second, the results differ between the inequality measures examined. Finally, we identify groups of similarly behaving states in terms of inequality. The U.S. authorities can use these findings to identify inequality trends and innovations and/or examples to investigate the causes of inequality within the U.S. to implement appropriate policies.

Keywords: Income inequality; graph theory; U.S. states (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D63 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 36 pages
Date: 2016-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ltv
Note: Stephen Miller is the corresponding author
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Income Inequality: A State-by-State Complex Network Analysis (2016)
Working Paper: Income Inequality: A State-by-State Complex Network Analysis (2015)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:uct:uconnp:2016-18

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