Is Frankfort becoming more racially diverse? (Chicago, Joliet: home, buying, school district)

[allen2323]

Is Frankfort becoming more racially diverse? One of my black buddies has a cousin who recently moved to frankfort. I happen to like frankfort almost as much as I like flossmoor and olympia fields. Apparently other blacks do to. Frankfort is also comparable distance wise and very conveniently located right next to matteson. I also usually see a sizable number of blacks when my fiance and I eat at restaurants in frankfort. Recently released census data shows frankfort's black population more then doubled in recent years. Does anyone else think that this is a trend that is more than likely to continue?

[urza216]

Meh. Maybe you enjoy dining in Frankfort but no, I don't see it. Frankfort is in the same school district as New Lenox - a little town that has managed to remain overwhelmingly white in spite of being economically dependent on the very racially mixed city of Joliet.

[allen2323]

Frankfort has great shopping and dining options. Home prices and property taxes are comparable to flossmoor and olympia fields. Frankfort is right next to Matteson. Which is why some of the black population is starting to move to frankfort.

[Lud Kissel]

My cousins friends brother n' laws who's neighbor knows a guy that works with a guy who is black is moving to Frankfort.

[Chicagoland60426]

Yeah, according to census estimates, Frankfort is 85% white non hispanic, down from being 94% non hispanic white ten years ago. I have two cousins who live there. Bernie Mac was the local celebrity there before he died.

[allen2323]

Originally Posted by Chicagoland60426

Yeah, according to census estimates, Frankfort is 85% white non hispanic, down from being 94% non hispanic white ten years ago. I have two cousins who live there. Bernie Mac was the local celebrity there before he died.

Interesting, it's great to see that the black demographic is finally beginning to spread out a bit more. I think that is important to maintaining the high level of diversity that the area has, and most of us who live here of all races value so much. Frankfort is another new affluent racially diverse suburb in the area.

[tonythetuna]

Ok, so all blacks need to be rounded up and then distributed to every town and city in the country so in each place they make up 12% or whatever of the population. Is that the goal here?

That is the only way every place will be equally "diverse" and it will never happen.

[Chicagoland60426]

Originally Posted by allen2323

Interesting, it's great to see that the black demographics are beginning to spread out a bit more. I think that is important to maintaining the high level of diversity that the area has, and most of us who live here of all races value so much. Frankfort is another new affluent racially diverse suburb in the area.

Its not diverse(at least not to par with the standards on here), but its changing bit by bit. I kind of doubt Frankfort will see a dramatic demographic shift anytime soon. The school system is 88% white and only 4% black. People aren't buying like they were during the most recent peak between 2000 and 2006. Besides, I think slow demographic changes might be better for the south burbs. We know from history that fast demographic changes around here just meant the town was only "diverse" for the brief moment.

[urza216]

I have another question I want to throw into this discussion. Are Monee and Crete becoming more racially diverse? I am very curious about what the 2010 Census will say for black population in Monee because I'm pretty sure Monee's black population has more than doubled since the last census. Monee Elementary is slightly over 50% black. This is because Monee Elementary is actually the Monee AND University Park elementary school. Crete has a small but significant black population, these days. The black population in Crete was large enough for Humboldt1 to wonder about the direction of the town and make a comment about the "displaced project residents" who supposedly live there. And if Frankfort is getting talked about for having a few black people living here and there then Monee should too. It's common for Monee residents to shop in Matteson. It's not hard to find Frankfort residents who hardly ever cross over I-57 into Matteson.

Originally Posted by Chicagoland60426

I think slow demographic changes might be better for the south burbs. We know from history that fast demographic changes around here just meant the town was only "diverse" for the brief moment.

This wasn't the case for Park Forest. It has been the case for other south suburbs though, yeah.

[allen2323]

Originally Posted by urza216

Are Monee and Crete becoming more racially diverse? I am very curious about what the 2010 Census will say for black population in Monee because I'm pretty sure Monee's black population has doubled since the last census. The Monee elementary school is a little over 50% black. This is because the so-called "Monee" elementary school is actually the Monee AND University Park elementary school. Crete has a small but significant black population, these days. The black population in Crete was large enough for Humboldt1 to wonder about the direction of the town and make a comment about the "displaced project residents" who supposedly live there. And if Frankfort is getting talked about for having a few black people living here and there then Monee should too. It's common for Monee residents to shop in Matteson. It's not hard to find Frankfort residents who hardly ever cross over I-57 into Matteson.

I was also going to mention Monee. Monee managed to gain black residents while at the same time also increasing the total number of white residents. Monee is definitely way more diverse than 10 years ago. In 2000 Monee was 2.2 percent black and as of 2009 monee is now 13.5 percent black. Crete also gained black residents while also increasing in the total number of white residents.

It appears that white flight in the far southern suburbs came to an end at some point between 2000-2010. Homewood after seeing heavy white flight in the 1990's is 66 percent white, 29 percent black, and 7 percent hispanic. Flossmoor is 53 percent white, 40 percent black, and 2.9 percent asian. Olympia Fields (currently the most affluent suburb in the area) is 62 percent black, 31 percent white, and 4.4 percent asian.