TY  - JOUR
AU  - Meyer,Bruce D.
AU  - Sullivan,James X.
TI  - Measuring the Well-Being of the Poor Using Income and Consumption
JF  - National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series
VL  - No. 9760
PY  - 2003
Y2  - June 2003
DO  - 10.3386/w9760
UR  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w9760
L1  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w9760.pdf
N1  - Author contact info:
Bruce D. Meyer
Harris School of Public Policy
University of Chicago
1155 E. 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
Tel: 773/702-2712
Fax: 773/702-0926
E-Mail: bdmeyer@uchicago.edu

James X. Sullivan
Department of Economics
912 Flanner Hall
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN 46556
Tel: 574/631-7587
E-Mail: James.X.Sullivan.197@nd.edu
AB  - We evaluate consumption and income measures of the material well-being of the poor.  We begin with conceptual and pragmatic reasons that favor income or consumption.  Then, we empirically examine the quality of standard data by studying measurement error and under-reporting, and by comparing micro-data from standard surveys to administrative micro-data and aggregates.  We also compare low reports of income and consumption to other measures of hardship and well-being.  The closer link between consumption and well-being and its better measurement favors the use of consumption when setting benefits and evaluating transfer programs.  However, income retains its convenience for determining program eligibility.
ER  -