A MODEL IS DEVELOPED THAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE VARIATION
IN THE LEVEL AND DISTRIBUTION OF FAMILY INCOME ACROSS METROPOLITAN AREAS. THE
MODEL DRAWS FROM BOTH THE HUMAN CAPITAL AND THE JOB COMPETITION THEORIES OF THE
LABOR MARKET IN THE EMPHASIS IT PLACES ON THE INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE OF THE
METROPOLITAN AREA. IT IS SHOWN THAT MANY OF THE VARIABLES HAVE OPPOSING EFFECTS
ON THE DEPENDENT VARIABLES. THE RESULTS CAN BE USED TO SPECULATE ABOUT THE
LIKELY EFFECTS OF CHANGES IN INDUSTRIAL COMPOSITION AND OTHER ATTRIBUTES OF AN
AREA AND ITS LABOR FORCE ON THE LEVEL AND DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME. FURTHER
ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INCOME LEVELS AND THE DEGREE OF INEQUALITY
ACROSS METROPOLITAN AREAS IS NEEDED. TABLES. REFERENCES.