The Household Demographic Dividend

Reeve Vanneman, University of Maryland
James Noon, University of Maryland

Using data from the India Human Development Survey, we will examine changes in household wealth and income between 1994 and 2005. While more advantaged households in 1994 (e.g., higher education, high caste, salaried occupations, wealthy states) enjoyed the biggest gains over the next decade, demographic composition also played a role. Households that had more men and boys in 1994 were slightly better off in 2005. However, much of a “household demographic dividend” was offset by a higher likelihood of those households dividing into two or more separate households by 2005. But if the 1994 household did stay together as an extended household, it was much better off a decade later if there had been more boys and men in 1994.