An Empirical Test of Anti-Muslim Bias: Evidence from Property Values

Abstract

We examine whether mosques depress home values in Michigan, which forms the basis for opposition to new mosques. We link administrative data on the universe of property transactions in Detroit and Hamtramck to the opening dates of new mosques. We then compare sales prices over time for properties closer to newly opened mosques to properties that are slightly farther away. Unlike related studies using data from other settings, our results show that exposure to new mosques do not significantly depress housing prices, implying weak evidence for religious discrimination, if it exists.