Gentrification map based on census data in NYTimes (Philadelphia: condos, home equity)

[jasonb885]

Today the NYTimes has an article about gentrification in cities which includes a map with census tracks and household income levels for the entire US. Does what it depicts correspond with what people are seeing on the ground in Philadelphia? (It's showing Chinatown and parts of 'Southwest City Center'.)

I spent most of my time near Rittenhouse, so I didn't make it out to any of these areas.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...ification.html

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by jasonb885

Today the NYTimes has an article about gentrification in cities which includes a map with census tracks and household income levels for the entire US. Does what it depicts correspond with what people are seeing on the ground in Philadelphia? (It's showing Chinatown and parts of 'Southwest City Center'.)

I spent most of my time near Rittenhouse, so I didn't make it out to any of these areas.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...ification.html

I don't have time right now to look at this, but Chinatown does include parts of Callowhill/Rail Park. And, I guess, SW CC is Grauduate Hospital wrt this article.

[TownDweller]

The data mapping definitely looks like what I saw in Chicago when I lived there, FWIW.

The article points to some new residents that want diversity. Racial diversity is one thing, economic diversity is another. I'd be surprised if most of the new affluent residents really want to live next to neighbors that live in poverty.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by jasonb885

Today the NYTimes has an article about gentrification in cities which includes a map with census tracks and household income levels for the entire US. Does what it depicts correspond with what people are seeing on the ground in Philadelphia? (It's showing Chinatown and parts of 'Southwest City Center'.)

I spent most of my time near Rittenhouse, so I didn't make it out to any of these areas.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...ification.html

That map is scalable - you can zoom in or out - and movable. It must be based on where you're located when you call up the article. I saw upper North and Northwest Philadelphia.

Parts of Germantown, where I live, are getting whiter. My own Census tract isn't.

Chestnut Hill, OTOH, is getting blacker. Which brings up an interesting point.

The article notes that blacks moving into mostly white neighborhoods are about equal socioeconomically to the whites already there. By contrast, the whites moving into mostly black neighborhoods are more affluent, often much more.

Which suggests that this is a matter of class more than race. Though I will admit I find white folks moving into the neighborhoods their parents and grandparents moved out of rather amusing.

[TownDweller]

It does appear that non-white movement is class based.

White movement is not. The article posits that it's desire to live among racial diversity rather than in white suburban enclaves. Maybe so for some but for most I'd venture there are other reasons.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by TownDweller

It does appear that non-white movement is class based.

White movement is not. The article posits that it's desire to live among racial diversity rather than in white suburban enclaves. Maybe so for some but for most I'd venture there are other reasons.

I can't discount the diversity argument completely - I interviewed a white Germantowner who made it into my Next City feature on revitalization in the neighborhood I call home when he told me at church one Sunday, "I didn't move here to be around a bunch of white people" - but I will also wager that affordability also plays a major role in these decisions, especially for student-loan-debt-burdened Millennials.

[TownDweller]

Definitely agree on both counts. I think it will be interesting to see what happens in the longer term.

In Chicago, Wicker Park began the gentrification process many years ago. Different racial compositions and economic classes coexisted as gentrification took hold. When it did, both economic and most of the racial diversity went with it.

In the South Loop, things turned over rapidly. Empty lots and low value homes gave way to shiny new high rise condos. When that area gentrified it was more racially diverse than before but economically not diverse.

[JacksonPanther]

Originally Posted by TownDweller

It does appear that non-white movement is class based.

White movement is not. The article posits that it's desire to live among racial diversity rather than in white suburban enclaves. Maybe so for some but for most I'd venture there are other reasons.

No one thinks these white people are just trying to win the home equity game? Of course they're not going to say that during a public interview.

[Indiana Tony]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

No one thinks these white people are just trying to win the home equity game? Of course they're not going to say that during a public interview.

I agree.


Winning!

[1ondoner]

How did you arrive at this conclusion? It sounds like you are focusing on gentrification

Originally Posted by TownDweller

It does appear that non-white movement is class based.

White movement is not. The article posits that it's desire to live among racial diversity rather than in white suburban enclaves. Maybe so for some but for most I'd venture there are other reasons.