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The Effects of Racial Segregation on Intergenerational Mobility: Evidence from Historical Railroad Placement

Eric Chyn et al.

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics2026https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20240271article
AJG 4ABDC A*
Weight
0.50

Abstract

This paper provides new evidence on the causal impacts of citywide racial segregation on intergenerational mobility. We use an instrumental variable approach that relies on plausibly exogenous variation in segregation due to the arrangement of railroad tracks in the nineteenth century. Our analysis finds that higher segregation reduces upward mobility for Black children from households across the income distribution and White children from low-income households. Moreover, segregation lowers academic achievement while increasing incarceration and teenage birth rates. An analysis of mechanisms shows that segregation reduces government spending, weakens support for antipoverty policies, and increases racially conservative attitudes among White residents. (JEL I38, J13, J15, J62, N32, N72, R30)

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20240271

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@article{eric2026,
  title        = {{The Effects of Racial Segregation on Intergenerational Mobility: Evidence from Historical Railroad Placement}},
  author       = {Eric Chyn et al.},
  journal      = {American Economic Journal: Applied Economics},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1257/app.20240271},
}

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The Effects of Racial Segregation on Intergenerational Mobility: Evidence from Historical Railroad Placement

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

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