Urban inequality revisited - The determinants of income distribution in US metropolitan areas

Urban size and growth rates have been the focus in the analysis of variation in income inequality among U.S. metropolises. Here, the author builds upon elements identified in the literature to examine 1990 census data for the total, white, and black populations. The regression results indicate that the causal structure of inequality has changed and that the determinants of intraracial inequality are different. The author argues that now the most significant determinants relate to local employment, and social and demographic conditions, reflecting a fundamental transformation from the importance of income level, industry mix, and race.