How and why did Gwinnett County change? (Atlanta, Peachtree City: low income, transplants)

[Clayton white guy]

Clayton Schools, particularly on the northeast part of the county are VERY diverse. (Forest Park/ Lake City/ Morrow/ Mount Zion High Schools) If I am not mistaken, Forest Park High has a Hispanic plurality, is about a third Black, and has a large Asian population. (Really it has everything but a large White demographic which was half the school when I went there 20 years ago) The least diverse really does go to the northwest side of the county (North Clayton, Riverdale, etc)

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by Clayton white guy

Clayton Schools, particularly on the northeast part of the county are VERY diverse. (Forest Park/ Lake City/ Morrow/ Mount Zion High Schools) If I am not mistaken, Forest Park High has a Hispanic plurality, is about a third Black, and has a large Asian population. (Really it has everything but a large White demographic which was half the school when I went there 20 years ago) The least diverse really does go to the northwest side of the county (North Clayton, Riverdale, etc)

Why are both the legacy Stockbridge High and Henry County High now so predominantly black while the other Henry schools are more diverse?

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by demonta4

I'll admit that it doesn't really make sense why certain areas are least diverse than others. Why is North Fulton diverse but not South Fulton. What so different about West Atlanta that makes it exclusively black? What exactly attracts Hispanics and Asians to Clayton, Henry and North Fayette? It doesn't seem to be an income thing, so why can't all sides of the metro be equally diverse?

This has always puzzled me too.

[Clayton white guy]

Newsboy, I cannot speak to Stockbridge High, white flight from North Henry? As far as Henry County High goes, however, the situation there is ENTIRELY the school system['s fault. Before the opening of Ola High School, Henry County High was a fair performing diverse school with a slight White majority. When Ola opened to ease overcrowding east of the City of McDonough, the school system opted to put the Lake Dow area (which is really close to Henry County High) into the district for Ola High. Suddenly you had two polarly opposite demographics for the two schools: Ola High, upper middle class and overwhelmingly White, Henry County High, pulling mostly from poor to working class communities and overwhelmingly Black. Even worse, being suddenly in an undesirable school district (really the same they were always in, just cut off from their traditional community) many residents of McDonough's Lawrenceville Street historic district and some upscale subdivisions on the north side of McDonough (really just blocks from Union Grove High district, the "Holy Grail" of Henry County high schools) have found it anywhere from difficult to impossible to sell their homes.

[whodean]

Originally Posted by demonta4

I'll admit that it doesn't really make sense why certain areas are least diverse than others. Why is North Fulton diverse but not South Fulton. What so different about West Atlanta that makes it exclusively black? What exactly attracts Hispanics and Asians to Clayton, Henry and North Fayette? It doesn't seem to be an income thing, so why can't all sides of the metro be equally diverse?

No big mystery, People tend to live in homogenous communities. Like ethnicities are drawn to each other.

[demonta4]

Originally Posted by Clayton white guy

Clayton Schools, particularly on the northeast part of the county are VERY diverse. (Forest Park/ Lake City/ Morrow/ Mount Zion High Schools) If I am not mistaken, Forest Park High has a Hispanic plurality, is about a third Black, and has a large Asian population. (Really it has everything but a large White demographic which was half the school when I went there 20 years ago) The least diverse really does go to the northwest side of the county (North Clayton, Riverdale, etc)

This is what Forest Park High looks like today

Asian 10%
Black 46%
Hispanic 38%
White 4%
Two or More Races 2%
Forest Park High School in Forest Park, GA | Student Body | US News Best High Schools

It's really an experience to grow up around all types of cultures and ethnicities, which is why I'm so attached to Forest Park, then I got moved to this demographic wasteland called South Fulton.

Here's a little fun video if you want to see what FP looks like today
https://www.facebook.com/tmickens/vi...7337181300111/

[demonta4]

Originally Posted by whodean

No big mystery, People tend to live in homogenous communities. Like ethnicities are drawn to each other.

If that was the case, then demographics would always stay the same. Clayton till this day would still be majority White and the COA would be like 100 percent black. I call BS on that. People are drawn to nice communities that cater to their needs. If Forest Park can do it, nothing's stopping College Park, or Union City, or SW Atlanta, or South Dekalb from doing it.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by demonta4

This is what Forest Park High looks like today

Asian 10%
Black 46%
Hispanic 38%
White 4%
Two or More Races 2%
Forest Park High School in Forest Park, GA | Student Body | US News Best High Schools

It's really an experience to grow up around all types of cultures and ethnicities, which is why I'm so attached to Forest Park, then I got moved to this demographic wasteland called South Fulton.

Here's a little fun video if you want to see what FP looks like today
https://www.facebook.com/tmickens/vi...7337181300111/

Am I correct in assuming that most of the Hispanics at Forest Park HS would be classified as "white" by US Census definitions?

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by whodean

No big mystery, People tend to live in homogenous communities. Like ethnicities are drawn to each other.

Well I think you're wrong and you're right...in a way.

You're wrong that people are largely living in homogeneous communities. There is too much to evidence to the contrary and the rate at which it happens is increasing as foreign immigration increases and as socioeconomic barriers change. Absent of socioeconomic differences, people tend to blend together in communities they like and to be near work to help sustain them.

Where I think your right in spirit, but perhaps aren't saying as well as you can, is that groups do tend to form around cultural institutions and they don't want to be secluded from one another.

But I think that is at least part of the answer to demonta's question.

Take Asian ethnicities for example. They still only represent 4.9% of our metro population.

You can find them scattered everywhere, but they definitely bunch together in specific areas.

The thing is there just aren't enough of them yet for them to have cultural amenities and build communities-with-in-a-community everywhere across the metro.

So they will grow heavier in areas where they have religious institutions, unique shopping, unique newspapers, etc...

So they are 11.8% of Gwinnett's population and it gets heavier between Lilburn and Duluth and into neighboring Johns Creek. There are some census tract blocks can get up to 40% Asian.

Hispanics do cluster more heavily between Norcross and Lilburn, so things are nessecarily evenly spread out. However, they are locating to be within an easy reach amenities specific to them.

So there does seem to be a natural demand for people moving to be near each other, but there is a great deal of mixing going on to. (more on this in a post coming up... I'm a bit distracted with the UGA game )


One side note for Demonta. One thing to consider is jobs. That is still largest location driver we have. It is also one thing Clayton Co. has a huge edge over S. Fulton on the Southside. The fact that Clayton has a large base of jobs gives more people a reason to move in.

While S. Fulton is conveniently located near the airport, like Clayton, Clayton is the one that really provides more jobs. S. Fulton has a great deal of potential. There is a great deal of available land and some good underutilized roadways.

It certainly isn't the only variable at play. Fayette for example, while it has some jobs, is more of a high-end commuter community. I think many people aspire to move in there, if they can.

West of Atlanta there is very little office or industrial space. It is very quiet on the jobs front, so there aren't many economic drivers there yet.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by demonta4

I'll admit that it doesn't really make sense why certain areas are least diverse than others. Why is North Fulton diverse but not South Fulton. What so different about West Atlanta that makes it exclusively black? What exactly attracts Hispanics and Asians to Clayton, Henry and North Fayette? It doesn't seem to be an income thing, so why can't all sides of the metro be equally diverse?

Think a bit more, brother-man. I'm sure you have the insight, education, and intelligence to figure this out on your own without the need to seek an answer from a forum such as this.