Work

The Economic Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Its Victims: Evidence from Individual Tax Returns

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: Hurricane Katrina destroyed over 200,000 homes and led to massive economic and physical dislocation. Using a panel of tax return data, we provide one of the first comprehensive analyses of the hurricane's long-term economic impact on its victims. Hurricane Katrina had large and persistent impacts on where people live, but small and surprisingly transitory effects on employment and income. Within just a few years, Katrina victims' incomes actually surpass that of controls from similar unaffected cities. The strong economic performance of Hurricane Katrina victims is particularly remarkable given that the hurricane struck with essentially no warning. (JEL D14, H24, Q53, R23)

Source: American Economic Journal Applied Economics

DOI: 10.1257/app.20160307

Authors: Tatyana Deryugina, Laura Kawano, Steven Levitt

Institutions: National Bureau of Economic Research, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Michigan, University of Chicago

Language: English

Topic: Earthquake and Disaster Impact Studies

Subfield: Transportation

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, No poverty, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funder: Federal Emergency Management Agency