Thompson On City Size City Size and Consumer Welfare: Variety versus Economy From the vantage point of the household, the gains from larger city size probably vary with socio-economic status. Scale brings variety for greater consumer choice, and sheer numbers of sellers promote competition in price and quality. (The small town pro-vides the best illustrations of "local monopoly" outside of the regulated public utilities -- what small town has a "discount house?) But the advantages of variety vary directly with educa-

DOI link for Thompson On City Size City Size and Consumer Welfare: Variety versus Economy From the vantage point of the household, the gains from larger city size probably vary with socio-economic status. Scale brings variety for greater consumer choice, and sheer numbers of sellers promote competition in price and quality. (The small town pro-vides the best illustrations of "local monopoly" outside of the regulated public utilities -- what small town has a "discount house?) But the advantages of variety vary directly with educa-

Thompson On City Size City Size and Consumer Welfare: Variety versus Economy From the vantage point of the household, the gains from larger city size probably vary with socio-economic status. Scale brings variety for greater consumer choice, and sheer numbers of sellers promote competition in price and quality. (The small town pro-vides the best illustrations of "local monopoly" outside of the regulated public utilities -- what small town has a "discount house?) But the advantages of variety vary directly with educa-