The Rise of Residential Segregation by Income
Posted under Resources on August 3, 2012
Residential segregation by income has increased during the past three decades across the United States and in 27 of the nation’s 30 largest major metropolitan areas, according to a new analysis of census tract and household income data by the Pew Research Center.
The analysis finds that 28 percent of lower-income households in 2010 were located in a majority lower-income census tract, up from 23 percent in 1980, and that 18 percent of upper-income households were located in a majority upper-income census tract, up from 9 percent in 1980.
These increases are related to the long-term rise in income inequality, which has led to a shrinkage in the share of neighborhoods across the United States that are predominantly middle class or mixed income—to 76 percent in 2010, down from 85 percent in 1980—and a rise in the shares that are majority lower income (18 percent in 2010, up from 12 percent in 1980) and majority upper income (6 percent in 2010, up from 3 percent in 1980).
Read more from the Pew Research Center.
Download the report here.
National Housing Institute
