Models with single-index structures are among the many existing popular
semiparametric approaches for either the conditional mean or the conditional
variance. This paper focuses on a single-index model for the conditional
quantile. We propose an adaptive estimation procedure and an iterative
algorithm which, under mild regularity conditions, is proved to converge
with probability 1. The resulted estimator of the single-index parametric
vector is root-n consistent, asymptotically normal, and
based on simulation study, is more efficient than the average derivative
method in Chaudhuri, Doksum, and Samarov (1997, Annals of Statistics 19, 760–777). The
estimator of the link function converges at the usual rate for nonparametric
estimation of a univariate function. As an empirical study, we apply the
single-index quantile regression model to Boston housing data. By
considering different levels of quantile, we explore how the covariates, of
either social or environmental nature, could have different effects on
individuals targeting the low, the median, and the high end of the housing
market.