Econometrica

Journal Of The Econometric Society

An International Society for the Advancement of Economic
Theory in its Relation to Statistics and Mathematics

Edited by: Guido W. Imbens • Print ISSN: 0012-9682 • Online ISSN: 1468-0262

Econometrica: Oct, 1957, Volume 25, Issue 4

An International Comparison of Household Expenditure Patterns, Commemorating the Centenary of Engel's Law

https://doi.org/0012-9682(195710)25:4<532:AICOHE>2.0.CO;2-3
p. 532-551

H. S. Houthakker

A comparison of elasticities for food, clothing, housing, and miscellaneous items with respect to total expenditure and family size, based on regression analyses of about 40 surveys from about 30 countries. The elasticities are found to be similar but not equal. Engel's law, formulated in 1857, is confirmed by all surveys.


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