Source: Beck, J.H. and Quan, N.T. (1983) Taken From: Quan, N.T. (1988), JBES, 6, 4, 501-504. Dimension: 38 observations on 8 variables Description: A study of the effects of right-to-work laws and geographic differences on the cost of living. Observations are for the following cities: 1 Atlanta 14 Dayton 27 New York 2 Austin 15 Denver 28 Orlando 3 Bakersfield 16 Detroit 29 Philadelphia 4 Baltimore 17 Green Bay 30 Pittsburgh 5 Baton Rouge 18 Hartford 31 Portland 6 Boston 19 Houston 32 St. Louis 7 Buffalo 20 Indianapolis 33 San Diego 8 Champaign-Urbana 21 Kansas City 34 San Francisco 9 Cedar Rapids 22 Lancaster, PA 35 Seattle 10 Chicago 23 Los Angeles 36 Washington 11 Cincinnati 24 Milwaukee 37 Wichita 12 Cleveland 25 Minneapolis, St. Paul 38 Raleigh-Durham 13 Dalas 26 Nashville Column Definition 1 Population density in the ith SMSA, in 1975, in terms of persons per square mile. From U. S. Bureau of the Census, 1978, County and City Data Book, 1977. 2 State Unionization rate in 12978. From the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Handbook of Labor Statistics, December 1980, p. 414. 3 Total population in the ith SMSA, in 1975. From the US Bureau of the Census, 1978, County and City Data Book, 1977. 4 The average cost of living for a four-person family living on an intermediate budget in the ith SMSA in 1978. From the US Bureau of the Census, Statistical Abstract of the United States, 1979. 5 The 1972 per capita level of property taxes in the ith SMSA. From the US Bureau of the Census, 1978, County and City Data Book, 1977. Except New York and Washington, DC, data were from the U.S. Bureau of Census, 1974. 6 The 1974 per capita income in the ith SMSA. From the US Bureau of the Census, 1978, County and City Data Book, 1977. 7 Temperature is measured as average annual degree days, 1931-1960. From the US Weather Bureau, 1962, Decennial Census of United States Climate - Monthly Normals of Temperature, Precipitation, and Heating Degree Days. (Due to lack of published data for Champaign, IL, Cedar Rapids, IA, and Lancaster, PA, degree days for Springfield, IL, Waterloo, IA, and Harrisburg, PA, respectively, were used for the missing data.) 8 A dummy variable with a value of 1, if there is right-to-work legislation in the state where the ith SMSA is located, 0 otherwise From the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1980, Handbook of Labor Statistics, December 1980, p. 414.