Determinants of Wealth Outcomes in Female-Headed Households in Vietnam

Abstract

This article uses data from the 2014 Vietnamese Household Living Standards Survey to compare the wealth outcome of Vietnamese female-headed households (FHH) to that of their male counterparts. The study takes an open position on the possible link between being a female head of the household and economic outcomes, focusing on heterogeneity among FHHs. The findings confirm that Vietnam has a small but significant group of married FHHs who have relatively high wealth, which makes the average wealth outcome of FHHs higher than that of male-headed households. The findings disagree with the view that these Vietnamese FHHs all have relatively privileged or advantageous economic conditions. In addition, the study confirms that land ownership, which is considered to play a key role in explaining the relatively strong wealth outcomes, is a distinguishing characteristic of married Vietnamese FHHs. HIGHLIGHTS Investigating the wealth outcomes of female-headed households (FHHs) in Vietnam reveals a heterogeneity of economic circumstances. FHHs are wealthier than male-headed households at upper quantiles of the household net worth. Not all Vietnamese female household heads who are married have high wealth. Wealth in FHHs is sensitive to household size, education, age, and wages. Land ownership plays a key role in explaining wealth outcomes of married FHHs.