Locational Stratification by Environment

This paper develops an equilibrium sorting model wherein perfectly mobile agents decide their optimal residential locations, either in a clean city or in a dirty city where production takes place. While residents in a dirty city suffer a higher level of pollution, they incur less commuting cost when going to work. When workers of different abilities choose different locations in which to reside, a segregated spatial configuration emerges, where those residing in a clean city have higher working time, human capital, and income than those in the dirty city. Analytic comparative-static and numerical welfare analyses are performed.