Changes in the Spatial Concentration of Employment Across Us Counties: A Sectoral Analysis 1972-2000

Posted: 29 Feb 2008

See all articles by Klaus Desmet

Klaus Desmet

Southern Methodist University (SMU); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Marcel Fafchamps

Stanford University - Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies

Date Written: June 2005

Abstract

Using US county data, we estimate employment growth equations to analyze how the spatial distribution of jobs has changed between 1972 and 2000. We find that total employment has become increasingly concentrated. This aggregate picture hides important sectoral differences though: whereas non-service employment has been spreading out, service jobs have clustered in areas of high aggregate employment. By controlling for employment at different distances, we explicitly take into account the spatial dimension. This allows us to conclude that the spreading out of non-service jobs has benefitted counties 20 to 70 km away from large agglomerations, whereas the concentration of services has come at the expense of jobs in the surrounding 20 kilometers.

JEL Classification: R1, R11, R12, R3

Suggested Citation

Desmet, Klaus and Fafchamps, Marcel, Changes in the Spatial Concentration of Employment Across Us Counties: A Sectoral Analysis 1972-2000 (June 2005). Journal of Economic Geography, Vol. 5, Issue 3, pp. 261-284, 2005, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=917683

Klaus Desmet (Contact Author)

Southern Methodist University (SMU) ( email )

6212 Bishop Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75275
United States

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

Marcel Fafchamps

Stanford University - Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies ( email )

Stanford, CA 94305
United States

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