Alternative financial service providers and the spatial void hypothesis: the case of New Jersey and Delaware

This paper continues the use of the spatial void hypothesis methodology to analyze the location of alternative financial service providers, such as check cashing outlets and pawn shops, in New Castle County, Delaware, and Atlantic, Mercer, Monmouth, and Passaic counties in New Jersey. Also explores whether these providers are disproportionately serving minority and low-income areas.

Alternative financial service providers and the spatial void hypothesis

This paper examines the use of alternative financial service providers (AFSPs) such as check-cashing outlets and pawnshops in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, and Allegheny counties. Also explores whether these providers are disproportionately serving minority and low-income areas.

Alternative Financial Service Providers and the Spatial Void Hypothesis

This paper studies the spatial relationship between traditional banking services (Banks) and alternative financial service providers (AFSPs). The main objective is to test the so-called spatial void hypothesis that AFSPs tend to locate in markets where traditional banking services are under-provided. The key question of interest here is whether or not AFSPs serve markets with significantly lower income levels than those of Banks. A statistical methodology is developed for addressing this question that builds on previous studies. The present approach is based largely on K-function analyses of both individual and paired point patterns. These Monte Carlo testing procedures are applied to Banks and AFSPs in the four-county region around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and are also compared with previous methods. The main finding of this research is that there is indeed strong empirical support for the spatial void hypothesis in this Philadelphia region

Alternative financial service providers and the spatial void hypothesis

This paper studies the spatial relationship between traditional banking services (Banks) and alternative financial service providers (AFSPs). The main objective is to test the so-called spatial void hypothesis that AFSPs tend to locate in markets where traditional banking services are under-provided. The key question of interest here is whether or not AFSPs serve markets with significantly lower income levels than those of Banks. One of the main contributions of this paper is to develop a statistical methodology for addressing this question that builds on previous studies. The present approach is based largely on K-function analyses of both individual and paired point patterns. These Monte Carlo testing procedures are applied to Banks and AFSPs in the four-county region around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and are also compared with previous methods. In contrast to previous work, the key finding of the present research is that there is indeed strong empirical support for the spatial void hypothesis in this Philadelphia region.