Effects of the Minimum Wage on Child Health

Effects of the minimum wage on labor market outcomes have been extensively debated and analyzed. Less studied, however, are other consequences of the minimum wage that stem from changes in a household’s income and labor supply. We examine the effects of the minimum wage on child health. To obtain estimates, we use data from the National Survey of Children’s Health in conjunction with a difference-in-differences research design. We find that an increase in the minimum wage throughout childhood is associated with a significant improvement in child health. A particularly interesting finding is that much of the benefits of a higher minimum wage are associated with the period between birth and age five.