Census 2010: Cleveland's Racial Demographics (Cincinnati, Elyria: transplants, condos, townhomes)

[Townes Van Zandt]

I thought it would be interesting to evaluate the 2010 census data and get a feel for the racial demographics of greater Cleveland. I didn't find anything significant, but I think it's important for outsiders to understand the racial makeup of the city and the greater Cleveland area. When I talk to someone from another part of the country, or when I listen to the national media, I get the feeling that Cleveland's racial demographics are often misunderstood or misconstrued.

Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor Metropolitan Population by Race:

Total:2,077,000
White:1,538,000
Black:417,000
Asian: 41,000
Hispanic/Latino:98,000

Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor Metropolitan Percentage by Race:

White: 74.04%
Black: 20.1%
Asian: 1.9%
Hispanic/Latino: 4.7%
________________________________

Cleveland City Population by Race

White: 147,929
Black: 211,672
Asian: 7,327
Hispanic/Latino: 39,534

Cleveland City Percentage by Race

White: 37.3%
Black: 53.3%
Asian: 1.8%
Hispanic/Latino: 9.9%

Links:

http://www.census.gov/compendia/stat...es/12s0023.pdf

2010 Census Interactive Population Map

_________________________________

This isn't news to anyone from the area, but white flight killed this city. 75% of the metro is white, yet only 38% of the city is white? What is that?

I'm not blaming anyone for what's happened, but quite frankly, I'm sick of hearing the public schools argument. Of course the public schools will be terrible when 3/4 of the regions population base runs for the 'burbs. That's what we call a self-fulfilling prophecy...

If half the of the white population had stayed within city limits, we wouldn't be seeing as many ridiculous trash pieces in the national media. Of course a population shift wouldn't fix many of the problems in the city, but it would change the perception of Cleveland in the national media.

I don't think Clevelanders quite understand--the rest of the country judges the health of the region by observing the URBAN CORE. If the urban core is neglected, then many(simple-minded) people will assume that the entire region sucks.

Don't get me wrong--it's great that places like Avon Lake and Kirtland Hills are doing so well, but can we please prioritize?

[costello_musicman]

Obviously everything you mentioned is extremely complicated, having numerous reasons and series of events.

^ In terms of White Flight, I know a few Italian families who were from Collinwood and Kinsman Ave, who both left for Mayfield Hts.

1) Collinwood family left because of forced busing Desegregation busing in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia .

2) Kinsman family left because houses were bought, tore down, and projects were built in the core of the neighborhood.

Government policy, in general, caused more harm than good from the 60's - 80's.

I don't think Clevelanders quite understand--the rest of the country judges the health of the region by observing the URBAN CORE. If the urban core is neglected, then many(simple-minded) people will assume that the entire region sucks.

Agreed completely. Look at Detroit as a prime example.

[costello_musicman]

Side note: this past census showed a major migration of "Black Flight" into the suburbs (Warrensville Hts, Garfield Hts, Euclid, South Euclid, etc) and sun belt cities.

For the first time in who knows, Cleveland is actually growing from within

And the same note, poverty is spiking in these suburbs. From the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/us...mmunities.html

BUT, expensive townhomes and condos continue to be built in Cleveland, and higher salaries are moving back into the city. (University Circle, Detroit-Shoreway, Little Italy, Downtown, West Bank of the Flats, Tremont, Ohio City, etc)

[YaFace]

If everyone left your neighborhood and all that moved in was a bunch of drug dealing thugs, you would probably move out too. No one wants to live next to the Projects either.

[Townes Van Zandt]

Originally Posted by costello_musicman

Obviously everything you mentioned is extremely complicated, having numerous reasons and series of events.

^ In terms of White Flight, I know a few Italian families who were from Collinwood and Kinsman Ave, who both left for Mayfield Hts.

1) Collinwood family left because of forced busing Desegregation busing in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia .

2) Kinsman family left because houses were bought, tore down, and projects were built in the core of the neighborhood.

Sad, but true. I think everyone from the Cleveland area(especially the east side) could tell a similar story. It seems like every generation has migrated further and further outward.

Originally Posted by costello_musicman

Government policy, in general, caused more harm than good from the 60's - 80's.

That pretty much sums up my thoughts on the subject pretty well.

Originally Posted by YaFace

If everyone left your neighborhood and all that moved in was a bunch of drug dealing thugs, you would probably move out too. No one wants to live next to the Projects either.

The question becomes--how did the neighborhood deteriorate in the first place. I think CM's response is the best explanation.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by ksu sucks

I thought it would be interesting to evaluate the 2010 census data and get a feel for the racial demographics of greater Cleveland. I didn't find anything significant, but I think it's important for outsiders to understand the racial makeup of the city and the greater Cleveland area. When I talk to someone from another part of the country, or when I listen to the national media, I get the feeling that Cleveland's racial demographics are often misunderstood or misconstrued.

Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor Metropolitan Population by Race:

Total:2,077,000
White:1,538,000
Black:417,000
Asian: 41,000
Hispanic/Latino:98,000

Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor Metropolitan Percentage by Race:

White: 74.04%
Black: 20.1%
Asian: 1.9%
Hispanic/Latino: 4.7%
________________________________

Cleveland City Population by Race

White: 147,929
Black: 211,672
Asian: 7,327
Hispanic/Latino: 39,534

Cleveland City Percentage by Race

White: 37.3%
Black: 53.3%
Asian: 1.8%
Hispanic/Latino: 9.9%

Links:

http://www.census.gov/compendia/stat...es/12s0023.pdf

2010 Census Interactive Population Map

_________________________________

This isn't news to anyone from the area, but white flight killed this city. 75% of the metro is white, yet only 38% of the city is white? What is that?

I'm not blaming anyone for what's happened, but quite frankly, I'm sick of hearing the public schools argument. Of course the public schools will be terrible when 3/4 of the regions population base runs for the 'burbs. That's what we call a self-fulfilling prophecy...

If half the of the white population had stayed within city limits, we wouldn't be seeing as many ridiculous trash pieces in the national media. Of course a population shift wouldn't fix many of the problems in the city, but it would change the perception of Cleveland in the national media.

I don't think Clevelanders quite understand--the rest of the country judges the health of the region by observing the URBAN CORE. If the urban core is neglected, then many(simple-minded) people will assume that the entire region sucks.
Don't get me wrong--it's great that places like Avon Lake and Kirtland Hills are doing so well, but can we please prioritize?

Yes. Exactly. Most people aren't interested in exploring a metro area. They simply want to take in the sensory stimulation of the downtown/core of a city.

This is why many tourists and transplants to Chicago seem to extend their perception of the greater downtown area to the whole city and even metro area as a whole is as vibrant, fun, and cosmopolitan as what they experience in area code: 312. When in reality, most of Chicagoland outside of 312, in reality is not much different from a much larger greater Cleveland. (which of course there is nothing wrong with that, as Cleveland is highly underrated).

I will say that at least compared to Detroit, Cleveland has done well in revitalizing its downtown. It has light rail, the warehouse district, Ohio, City, University Circle, etc., etc.

[Traveler87]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Yes. Exactly. Most people aren't interested in exploring a metro area. They simply want to take in the sensory stimulation of the downtown/core of a city.

This is why many tourists and transplants to Chicago seem to extend their perception of the greater downtown area to the whole city and even metro area as a whole is as vibrant, fun, and cosmopolitan as what they experience in area code: 312. When in reality, most of Chicagoland outside of 312, in reality is not much different from a much larger greater Cleveland. (which of course there is nothing wrong with that, as Cleveland is highly underrated).

I will say that at least compared to Detroit, Cleveland has done well in revitalizing its downtown. It has light rail, the warehouse district, Ohio, City, University Circle, etc., etc.

I think Cleveland is more comparable to Chicago than most cities outside of St. Louis and Buffalo. So many Clevelanders go to Chicago and see this, and expect us to have the same exact offerings, yet they forget that Chicago is much larger than Cleveland. This decade there are things I would like this metro to focus on... eastside development in Cleveland (every other section of the city is doing wonders and I think things are changing there already, especially with the health giants in University Circle) and big-time development on the lakefront connecting it to the city.

[jbcmh81]

I wonder how many posters here actually live within Cleveland's city limits. It's one thing to defend the city, it's another to put your money where your mouth is. This goes for every city, though.

[motorman]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

I wonder how many posters here actually live within Cleveland's city limits. It's one thing to defend the city, it's another to put your money where your mouth is. This goes for every city, though.

I must agree with jbcmh81 that Cleveland's white-flight (and how to reverse it) is a huge challenge for other Ohio cities, especially Cincinnati. This isn't a Cincinnati thread, and I don't intend to turn it into one, but no matter what the original cause(s) of white flight, the plight of Ohio's two biggest metro-areas is now uncannily similar--not only how to attract affluent people back to the CBD (both cities are making great strides here), but how to bring them back to the inner-city that surrounds this core. (and sadly to say, it is predominately a black/white issue with no easy, pie-the-sky solution) This challenge will undoubtedly perplex our urban-planners for years to come.

[Townes Van Zandt]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

I wonder how many posters here actually live within Cleveland's city limits. It's one thing to defend the city, it's another to put your money where your mouth is. This goes for every city, though.

I'd imagine a large portion of the posters here live in the city. This is an urban-centric forum, after all. Of course, there are exceptions. Sometimes work, school, etc forces people to move elsewhere. That's just a fact of life for many Americans(not just Clevelanders).