Why is the "Southside" typically a less desirable part of a city? (middle-class, homes)
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Historically, the south side was the pastureland, then the work areas for the hides to dry out in after the animals were slaughtered. Then the slaughter houses popped up there. The rich people didnt like the smell and steadly moved north and west. The prevailing winds came from the west towards the east so the air was always fresh.
Historically, the south side was the pastureland, then the work areas for the hides to dry out in after the animals were slaughtered. Then the slaughter houses popped up there. The rich people didnt like the smell and steadly moved north and west. The prevailing winds came from the west towards the east so the air was always fresh.
In addition, to north/south, there also seems to be east/west divide (with the east generally) being poorer.
Where the more affluent north vs. poorer south clearly applies: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Seattle, Syracuse
Where the north and west are more affluent south and east are poorer: L.A. (West Side vs. East and South L.A., Washington DC (NW vs. SE)
Other cities:
Where the west is more affluent and the east is poorer: Calgary, Montreal, Vancouver
Others:
Buffalo: East Buffalo is the poorest, North Buffalo is the most "middle class" (north-central is wealthiest)
Cleveland: Not much affluence in the city core period, but the east side is poorer than the west side
Toronto: North Toronto is most affluent traditionally, west and east are mixed but east of downtown is poorest, northwest very working class.
Places "affluent north and west /poorer south and east" doesn't apply: Minneapolis, Winnipeg, Baltimore (I believe north is most affluent and West Baltimore is the poorest).
New York City: too complicated! Upper East Side and Upper West Side are "uptown", but downtown and midtown are gentrified and further "uptown" is Harlem/East Harlem/Washington Heights and then the Bronx (but North Bronx is better off than the South Bronx, north/south sort of applies in Brooklyn where the north is more "yuppie" and south is more immigrant and the eastern part of the borough is poorest.)
Good point. I love in Phoenix though and it's the complete opposite the east side and eastern suburbs are more affluent than the west....
Southside Chicago used to be very, very desirable. Many mansions still exist from back then and it was originally home to the wealthy residents of the city in some areas. You'd be surprised what you could get with not much money down there in some neighborhoods...unfortunately of course they're in bad neighborhoods. Not all of the southside of Chicago is bad anyway. There are still very desirable neighborhoods down there or ones slowly on the upswing. Even Englewood, the area you may or may not have heard of...pretty damn dangerous, was once the 2nd largest retail hub of Chicago.
Atlanta's development was largely driven by the expansion of its rail yards. They grew out to the south and west, so desirable development went in the opposite directions.
I was always taught that it had something to do with water flow and sewage. That the residents in the north part of cities typically got the freshest clean water while residents down stream usually got the leftover not so clean water. Generally setting moving patterns of the have/ have nots in a lot of American cities.
And RELAX u all are getting so defensive the op never said all cities.
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
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Washington DC's southside is not all bad. You have the very up and coming SW quadrant and the SE quadrant West of the Anacostia River isn't half bad. Now the SE quadrant East of the Anacostia is where most of DC's problems are.
south side st.louis is the most middle class area of st.louis city. its not the most desirible but its not the least desirable
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