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Charleston is losing Black residents now because of rapidly increasing housing costs, so I'd strike it off the list. I think cities like Birmingham, Memphis, Jacksonville, Richmond, Norfolk, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Greenville, Spartanburg, Columbia, Augusta, Tallahassee, Mobile, Jackson, Little Rock, Chattanooga, Baton Rouge, etc. stand to gain over the next several years.
The changes in Charleston align with what we're seeing in most cities around America. There seems to be growth in the professional Black population with the bulk of that growth being Black households making over $200K. To your point, most of the loses appear to be the lower income Black households.
City of Charleston Black Household Income Change 2011-2020
Total Black Households Change = -1515
Less than $10,000 = -1081
$10,000 to $14,999 = -168
$15,000 to $19,999 = -733
$20,000 to $24,999 = -426
$25,000 to $29,999 = -308
$30,000 to $34,999 = +68
$35,000 to $39,999 = +274
$40,000 to $44,999 = -148
$45,000 to $49,999 = -10
$50,000 to $59,999 = -16
$60,000 to $74,999 = +238
$75,000 to $99,999 = +202
$100,000 to $124,999 = +224
$125,000 to $149,999 = -127
$150,000 to $199,999 = +19
$200,000 or more = +477
Charleston is losing Black residents now because of rapidly increasing housing costs, so I'd strike it off the list. I think cities like Birmingham, Memphis, Jacksonville, Richmond, Norfolk, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Greenville, Spartanburg, Columbia, Augusta, Tallahassee, Mobile, Jackson, Little Rock, Chattanooga, Baton Rouge, etc. stand to gain over the next several years.
Black folks will think long and hard about many of the places listed. For example, Birmingham is in decline mode. Huntsville now is the largest city in Alabama. Birmingham has fallen to 4th largest. Two things that all must consider, jobs and crime. As someone whose lived in the Sunbelt and works in Commercial Banking on a national scale, you can scratch Birmingham, Little Rock, Baton Rouge, Augusta, Jackson, Augusta, Memphis, and Little Rock as desirable locales. Columbia and Tallahassee - these are smallish state capitals and not markets that have attracted major employers. No jobs, not very attractive.
In my opinion, in terms of secondary cities that will benefit:
NC in general- all are doing good and several have drawn major business investments.
Chattanooga - scenic, VW auto plant opened there a few years back, Tennessee Valley Authority, Erlanger Health, BCBS of TN, McKee Foods, 110 miles from Atlanta, no-income state tax
Mobile - seaport, a good manufacturing base,
Greenville/Spartansburg - major auto plant and Boeing, two hours from ATL or Charlotte.
Jacksonville, FL - the biggest affordable city in the southeast.
I also wouldn’t count out select mid sized areas in the Northeast and Midwest that are seeing growth in their black population like Poughkeepsie, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Syracuse, Worcester, Omaha, Des Moines and Bridgeport due to factors like relative affordability, proximity to major areas and even educational or economic factors.
Also…Man, that article about Charleston is tough given the history of that city.
^Why? I mean that for the Southern cities/areas as well.
Also, if it is about crime, then the top 2 cities when it comes to this topic don’t necessarily have low rates. So, I’m not sure if that would deter people from moving to these other cities.
Also, as mentioned, some of these cities have growing black populations now and in many cases, are growing in general. Let alone that one of them has one of the highest black median household incomes in the country. Many also have a solid to good job base as well or have good access to a good job market.
I also wouldn’t count out select mid sized areas in the Northeast and Midwest that are seeing growth in their black population like Poughkeepsie, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Syracuse, Worcester, Omaha, Des Moines and Bridgeport due to factors like relative affordability, proximity to major areas and even educational or economic factors.
Also…Man, that article about Charleston is tough given the history of that city.
I have a friend that lives in Des Moines. He used to live in DC and relocated for a job. I visited him last year for about 4 days. Got a chance to hangout and it was actually pretty nice. Lots of new buildings and growth is happening from Chicago I believe. He mentioned that it’s hard to get Black people to stay because of the lack of diversity though. Black graduates of Drake University usually leave after graduation he said versus staying.
I have a friend that lives in Des Moines. He used to live in DC and relocated for a job. I visited him last year for about 4 days. Got a chance to hangout and it was actually pretty nice. Lots of new buildings and growth is happening from Chicago I believe. He mentioned that it’s hard to get Black people to stay because of the lack of diversity though. Black graduates of Drake University usually leave after graduation he said versus staying.
I'm sure it is tough, but like you mentioned, there seems to be some that come from Chicago(or came directly from the South) and they get some refugees as well. Ironically, it is a city that had a black mayor from 1997-2004 and its black population is almost 2 and a half times bigger now than it was in 1980: https://s4.ad.brown.edu/projects/div...cityid=1921000 and since 1990, the metro area's black population is almost 3 and half times bigger: https://s4.ad.brown.edu/projects/div...?metroid=19780 .
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 08-24-2022 at 07:03 PM..
Do you think it would stay that way, given the amount available for a down payment?
I have one more thing to add. Statistically speaking, many neighborhoods EOTR are much safer than the urban core of the city west of the river. They have shooting all the time while many neighborhoods EOTR almost never have any issues.
I have one more thing to add. Statistically speaking, many neighborhoods EOTR are much safer than the urban core of the city west of the river. They have shooting all the time while many neighborhoods EOTR almost never have any issues.
Chattanooga - scenic, VW auto plant opened there a few years back, Tennessee Valley Authority, Erlanger Health, BCBS of TN, McKee Foods, 110 miles from Atlanta, no-income state tax
I know you aren't writing Chattanooga is a good place for Blacks? 110 miles from Atlanta?!!! Come on now. Let's think about this.
Like I always write in these forums, we have to look at it based upon our own lives and goals. I personally think relocation is personal. Not one size fits all. Denver may be great for one, Detroit for another. It's an individual decision.
Last edited by MDAllstar; 08-25-2022 at 11:26 AM..
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