CITY-SUBURB DIFFERENCES IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE LABOR-MARKET ACHIEVEMENT

This research tests the spatial mismatch hypothesis by comparing the e mployment probabilities of central city versus suburban African Americ an males in nine metropolitan areas. Treatment effects models are used to control for the effects of both individual characteristics and res idential. self-selection on the probability of employment, A positive effect of suburban residential location on employment is found for the residents of Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, while no effect is found for the residents of Cleveland, Houston, Jackson, Memp his, and Newark. The general conclusion to be drawn is that the spatia l mismatch effect is contingent on the particular characteristics of e ach metropolitan area. Preliminary analysis shows that metropolitan ar eas with a spatial mismatch effect are large in terms of total populat ion and total land area, and have less efficient transportation system s.