Multidimensional Well-Being at the Top: Evidence for Germany

No 6170, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper employs a multidimensional approach for the measurement of well-being at the top of the distribution using German SOEP micro data. Besides income as traditional indicator for material well-being, we include health as a proxy for nonmaterial quality of life as well as self-reported satisfaction with life as dimensions. We find that one third of the German population is well-off in at least one dimension but only one percent in all three dimensions simultaneously. While the distribution of income has become more concentrated at the top, the concentration at the top of the multidimensional well-being distribution has decreased over time. Moreover, health as well as life satisfaction contribute quite substantially to multidimensional wellbeing at the top which has important policy implications.

Keywords: well-being; multidimensional measurement; Germany (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D31 D63 I31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 20 pages
Date: 2011-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hap and nep-ltv
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Published - revised version published in: Fiscal Studies, 2013, 34 (3), 355-371

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Related works:
Journal Article: Multidimensional Well‐Being at the Top: Evidence for Germany (2013)
Working Paper: Multidimensional Well-Being at the Top: Evidence for Germany (2011)
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