What’s the Melting Pot Worth? Multiculturalism and House Prices
Rachel Cho, Hisham Farag, Christoph Görtz, Danny McGowan, Huyen Nguyen, Max Schröder
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 11,
2025
Abstract
Is there a multicultural neighborhood price premium? We exploit plausibly exogenous variation in British colonization patterns in Northern Ireland during the early 1600s which created neighborhoods of varying religious composition that persists until today. These religious groups are culturally distinct, but are observationally equivalent ethnically and socioeconomically. A standard deviation increase neighborhood-level multiculturalism raises house prices by 9.6%. Multiculturalism raises property prices by increasing asset liquidity and housing demand as a wider spectrum of society demand houses in these areas. The findings and mechanism contrast sharply with prior evidence showing negative relationships due to homophily, social networks, and identification challenges.
Read article
Media Response
Media Response July 2025 IWH: US-Wirtschaft wächst deutlich Deutschland schrumpft in: Handelsblatt, 31.07.2025 IWH: Exportrückgang, Konsumflaute, steigende Unsicherheit…
See page
Archive
Media Response Archive 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 December 2021 IWH: Ausblick auf Wirtschaftsjahr 2022 in Sachsen mit Bezug auf IWH-Prognose zu Ostdeutschland: "Warum Sachsens…
See page
Alumni
IWH Alumni The IWH maintains contact with its former employees worldwide. We involve our alumni in our work and keep them informed, for example, with a newsletter. We also plan…
See page
DPE Course Programme Archive
DPE Course Programme Archive 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2025 Macroeconomics several lecturers summer 2025 Causal Machine Learning Martin…
See page
At a Glance
IWH at a Glance The Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH) – Member of the Leibniz Association was founded on January 1, 1992. It is a member of the Leibniz Association. It…
See page
27.02.2024 • 5/2024
Presseeinladung zur Konferenz: „Eine CO2-neutrale Zukunft: Wie kann das funktionieren?“ am 6. März 2024 am IWH
Kriege, Wirtschaftsflaute und gesellschaftliche Polarisierung setzen die grüne Transformation unter Druck. Wie sie dennoch gelingen kann, diskutiert eine Konferenz am Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung Halle (IWH) mit Gästen aus Wissenschaft, Politik und Industrie. Es sprechen unter anderem Julia Schlenz, Präsidentin von Dow Deutschland, Österreich und Schweiz, sowie Sven Giegold, Staatssekretär im Bundeswirtschaftsministerium.
Read
IWH EXplore
IWH EXplore Competitive Funding for Research Projects with External Involvement at IWH IWH EXplore gives scientists the opportunity to acquire supplemental funding, in addition to…
See page
East Germany
The Nasty Gap 30 years after unification: Why East Germany is still 20% poorer than the West Dossier In a nutshell The East German economic convergence process is hardly…
See page
Doctoral Student Guide
Doctoral Student Guide Doctoral Student Guide (PDF, 7.6 MB) We are glad that you are joining the IWH. This guide is intended to provide some orientation with respect to your PhD…
See page
