Income distribution along the United States Border with Mexico: 1970-1990

Abstract

This article examines income inequality along the U.S. side of the U.S.-Mexican border region in the context of national trends toward greater income inequality. The focus is on two questions. First, is there a greater or lesser degree of inequality in the border counties than in the border states or the nation? Second, what ch anges in income distribution have occurred in the border region in recent decades? Data from three U.S. censuses are used together with various measures of distribution to address these questions. Among the conclusions reached are: (1) income inequality in the border counties is generally greater than in either the border states or the nation; (2) there was some improvement in border county income inequality in the 1970s while the reverse was the case in the 1980s; and (3) the results are not particularly sensitive to the choice of statistical measure of distribution.

Mexican Immigrant Self‐Employment Along the U.S.‐Mexico Border: An Analysis of 2000 Census Data*

“…In areas with high ethnic concentrations, co-ethnic small business owners potentially face lower transactions costs than other entrepreneurs when engaging in trade because of the latter's need to hire cultural ''translators'' (such as for language). The profits of ethnic entrepreneurs should 2 See Mora (2005), Flota and Mora (2001), Fullerton (2001), Dávila and Mora (2000), Sharp (1998), Peach (1997), Dávila and Mattila (1985), Hansen (1982), and Smith and Newman (1977). therefore be higher than those of their nonethnic counterparts, proportional to their knowledge of the culture and language.…”

Self-Employed Mexican Immigrants Residing along the U.S.-Mexico Border: The Earnings Effect of Working in the U.S. versus Mexico

“…, Smith and Newman, 1977; Dávila and Mattila, 1985; Dávila and Mora, 2000; Flota and Mora, 2001; Robles, 2002; Mora and Dávila, 2006); however, additional definitions exist, such as focusing on the entire array of counties located near Mexico ( e.g. , Peach, 1997; Peach and Adkisson, 2000; Fullerton, 2001). The decision to implement the MSA‐border definition stems from the fact that much of the region's recent growth has occurred in urban areas instead of the agricultural sector.…”

Límites socioeconómicos a la extensión de la lengua española en los Estados Unidos

“…En el conjunto de los Estados Unidos y del suroeste las investigaciones han reportado de forma persistente, al menos desde los años setenta, un cambio intergeneracional y unilateral del español hacia el inglés (Bills, 1989;Bills et al, 1995;Peach, 1997;Rivera-Mills, 2001;Veltman, 1988). Sin embargo, algunos estudios han apuntado cambios en este patrón (Jenkins, 2009;Mills, 2005;Mora et al, 2005Mora et al, , 2006, de modo que el mantenimiento del español ya no estaría necesariamente asociado a menores salarios.…”