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It all depends on the green! In Oakland most neighborhoods are really diverse, but the poorest neighborhoods aren't that diverse. You run into educated, middle class + black people everywhere in Oakland, but the families move to greener pastures. One of my neighbors moved is planning to move his family as his kid enters school age and he was trying to sell me on Denver. Apparently there are quite a few middle class black areas there. Who knew.
Oakland has wealthy and middle class predominantly Black neighborhoods that are very family oriented but as you stated, those who can't afford to make it to the hills will seek greener pastures within their range of affordability. I dont blame them.
I cant believe that the Raleigh-Durham area is ahead of Atlanta and Charlotte though.
I always thought that it was in this order.
1. Wash, DC 2. Atlanta
3. Charlotte
4. Raleigh-Durham
I did as well. I guess they may be referring to quality. I know Durham is one of the most "blackest" cities in NC and having RTP in its backyard definitely adds to the level affluence there. Although Charlotte is definitely no slouch. And Atlanta, what else needs to be said?
I cant believe that the Raleigh-Durham area is ahead of Atlanta and Charlotte though.
I always thought that it was in this order.
1. Wash, DC 2. Atlanta
3. Charlotte
4. Raleigh-Durham
Raleigh-Durham is - per-capta - the whitest of those MSAs. The African-American population however spits neatly into 2 or 3 groups:
Durham's African-American middle class, which has a very, very extensive history there.
LOTS of transplants - African-American, African, Asian, European expats - who are drawn in because of RTP, UNC, Duke, NCSU. Those folks are very high-achieving, heavily in government or academia, much moreso than business.
That noted, there are some big pockets of relative blight in east Durham as well.
The other thing that might have made RDU score so high - affordability relative to the NE or West Coast, and schools. Durham's schools are not so highly regarded; Raleigh/Wake County schools have historically been extremely well-regarded and very diverse throughout the county, though political turmoil in the school board there may have an adverse effect on that. Chapel Hill/Carrboro has one of the top rated public school districts on the East Coast - I know people who have moved from several states away, into a town with a median home price twice the state average, just go to get their kids into the schools here. Orange County schools are only slightly less impressive. Unemployment rates are well below the state average. And lastly - it's politically a very left-of-center area - massively moreso than any other city in the Carolinas (save for Asheville), very diverse and multi ethnic.
The influx here is definitely African-Americans who are middle-class or better, and are very integrated through the area - save for parts of Durham, there are very few (by Southern standards) geographical African-American communities of the traditional kind. That can offer a certain kind of appeal.
I did as well. I guess they may be referring to quality. I know Durham is one of the most "blackest" cities in NC and having RTP in its backyard definitely adds to the level affluence there. Although Charlotte is definitely no slouch. And Atlanta, what else needs to be said?
Yeah that was a shocker for me. I always thought that after the DC area it was Atlanta with the most affluent blacks, then Charlotte and the Raleigh-Durham Area right after, but I guess I was wrong. I guess once you add in good public education, affordable housing, sustainable median household income and a vibrant social life there rankings sort of change.
1. Camden, NJ
2. Chester, PA
3. Gary, IN
4. East Saint Louis, IL
5. Detroit, MI
6. Highland Park, MI
7. Hamtramck, MI
8. Compton, CA
9. Belle Glade, FL
10. Opa-Locka, FL
It looks like crap to me. Black kids are best raised in places where there are not a lot of other black kids. All ten of those cities are thus disqualified.
Better list:
1. Boise, ID
2. Fargo, ND
3. Butte, MT
4. Huntington, WV
5. Walla Walla, WA
6. Missoula, MT
7. Dubuque, Iowa
8. Tigard, OR
9. Anchorage, AK
10. Vermillion, SD
I don't even know what to say about this post without being banned from City-Data.
Raleigh-Durham is - per-capta - the whitest of those MSAs. The African-American population however spits neatly into 2 or 3 groups:
Durham's African-American middle class, which has a very, very extensive history there.
LOTS of transplants - African-American, African, Asian, European expats - who are drawn in because of RTP, UNC, Duke, NCSU. Those folks are very high-achieving, heavily in government or academia, much moreso than business.
That noted, there are some big pockets of relative blight in east Durham as well.
The other thing that might have made RDU score so high - affordability relative to the NE or West Coast, and schools. Durham's schools are not so highly regarded; Raleigh/Wake County schools have historically been extremely well-regarded and very diverse throughout the county, though political turmoil in the school board there may have an adverse effect on that. Chapel Hill/Carrboro has one of the top rated public school districts on the East Coast - I know people who have moved from several states away, into a town with a median home price twice the state average, just go to get their kids into the schools here. Orange County schools are only slightly less impressive. Unemployment rates are well below the state average. And lastly - it's politically a very left-of-center area - massively moreso than any other city in the Carolinas (save for Asheville), very diverse and multi ethnic.
The influx here is definitely African-Americans who are middle-class or better, and are very integrated through the area - save for parts of Durham, there are very few (by Southern standards) geographical African-American communities of the traditional kind. That can offer a certain kind of appeal.
WOW, thanks for the info..... Didn't know that the Raleigh-Durham Area had a higher Median income per capta over Atlanta and Charlotte, so that alone just about sums it up then. With the RD Area having all those great Schools along with the RTP and some of the other things you've mentioned can make it a bit hard to surpass I guess.
Yeah that was a shocker for me. I always thought that after the DC area it was Atlanta with the most affluent blacks, then Charlotte and the Raleigh-Durham Area right after, but I guess I was wrong. I guess once you add in good public education, affordable housing, sustainable median household income and a vibrant social life there rankings sort of change.
In our supposed "post racial" world, what's good for one group of people is good for all.
That said, I think that any community that is tied by a common bond would thrive much better in an environment that feels welcoming and accepting.
Given those two points, it's no surprise to me that Raleigh/Durham fares very well in ANY category for families of any kind.
There are still places in this country that dismiss the Triangle but they better watch out. The Triangle is not an "also ran" and will surprise even the non-believers in the next few decades.
In our supposed "post racial" world, what's good for one group of people is good for all.
That said, I think that any community that is tied by a common bond would thrive much better in an environment that feels welcoming and accepting.
Given those two points, it's no surprise to me that Raleigh/Durham fares very well in ANY category for families of any kind.
There are still places in this country that dismiss the Triangle but they better watch out. The Triangle is not an "also ran" and will surprise even the non-believers in the next few decades.
Good Point.
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