When do they leave? The dynamics of living in low-income neighbourhoods

by Marc Frenette, Garnett Picot, and Roger Sceviour
Business and Labour Market Analysis Division
Journal of Urban Economics, 56 (3), pp. 484-504.

Context

Many studies have investigated the impact of living in a low-income neighbourhood on future outcomes of children, and have generally found little or no effect. One possible reason for this finding may be that residential spells in such neighbourhoods are relatively short.

Objectives

To document the duration of residential spells in low-income neighbourhoods.

Findings

The average residential spell length in a low-income neighbourhood is relatively short (3.4 years), although spells in the state of low-income are still shorter (1.9 years). Neighbourhood attachment may explain the difference since having school-aged children is associated with longer residential spells in low-income neighbourhoods.

Data sources: LAD, 1992-1999.