Education, Wealth, and Land Use

Professor Edward Glaeser of Harvard posted recently on the New York Times' Economix Blog about the connections between investments in education 100 years ago with income levels in 2009.  Click here to read "Education Last Century, and Economic Growth Today."  It is not surprising to learn that countries that invested aggressively in education in 1900 tend to be the wealthiest today, whereas those that did not tend to be the poorest.  The study also indicates that people who work or live in close proximity to other skilled people tend to earn more, too.  To the extent that sprawl interrupts this pattern, affordable housing and "smart growth" could provide an antidote.

Will Cook, Charleston School of Law