Is Jackson getting whiter? (Ridgeland, Madison: 2013, apartments, loft)

[golden eagles fan]

In the area where I live (a mainly black/minority neighborhood), I've seen a small increase in the number of white people who've moved in (I've been here almost six years). In fact, two white men moved into a house two doors down from me a couple of months that was previously inhabited by a black family. As you go across Northside Drive, it gets decidedly whiter (though, no real surprise). Of course, it's still decidedly whiter as you make your way through Fondren, Belhaven and the more upscale areas of northeast Jackson.

I find absolutely nothing wrong with more white people living in Jackson. In fact, people of all backgrounds should feel welcome here. I have a coworker with a white fiancé that moved into a house together in Fondren not long ago. They were living in Madison County previously. However, from what I've been able to observe over time, Jackson has very negative connotations among whites in the surrounding areas. All you have to do is go no further than WLBT's or WAPT's Facebook pages and see how many people comment negatively on things that happen in Jackson, even on good things.

There is a small but upward trend of people (primarily white) moving back to central cities across America. Look no further than Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Atlanta's black population peaked in 1990 at around 67 percent, but has since fallen to make up 53 percent of the city's population. Washington is even more dramatic. Blacks now hold a plurality (49.5%) of that city's population--after having been above 70 percent in the not-too-distant past--with whites now at just under 44 percent.

I feel that Jackson's large black population percentage (almost 80 percent) has peaked. Mixed-use developments with residential spaces are popping up in Fondren and at the District at Eastover, and more loft apartments are planned for downtown. Midtown is about to be the next Fondren, as the arts scene is bursting at the scene and housing redevelopments taking off. I'm willing to bet that the majority of new dwellers in those areas will be young whites.

[zblanton1]

Originally Posted by golden eagles fan

In the area where I live (a mainly black/minority neighborhood), I've seen a small increase in the number of white people who've moved in (I've been here almost six years). In fact, two white men moved into a house two doors down from me a couple of months that was previously inhabited by a black family. As you go across Northside Drive, it gets decidedly whiter (though, no real surprise). Of course, it's still decidedly whiter as you make your way through Fondren, Belhaven and the more upscale areas of northeast Jackson.

I find absolutely nothing wrong with more white people living in Jackson. In fact, people of all backgrounds should feel welcome here. I have a coworker with a white fiancé that moved into a house together in Fondren not long ago. They were living in Madison County previously. However, from what I've been able to observe over time, Jackson has very negative connotations among whites in the surrounding areas. All you have to do is go no further than WLBT's or WAPT's Facebook pages and see how many people comment negatively on things that happen in Jackson, even on good things.

There is a small but upward trend of people (primarily white) moving back to central cities across America. Look no further than Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Atlanta's black population peaked in 1990 at around 67 percent, but has since fallen to make up 53 percent of the city's population. Washington is even more dramatic. Blacks now hold a plurality (49.5%) of that city's population--after having been above 70 percent in the not-too-distant past--with whites now at just under 44 percent.

I feel that Jackson's large black population percentage (almost 80 percent) has peaked. Mixed-use developments with residential spaces are popping up in Fondren and at the District at Eastover, and more loft apartments are planned for downtown. Midtown is about to be the next Fondren, as the arts scene is bursting at the scene and housing redevelopments taking off. I'm willing to bet that the majority of new dwellers in those areas will be young whites.

I talked about this a long time ago on this forum, but yes, families are indeed moving back into the city/inner city and I think for Jackson, that's going to effect the city positively! I referenced a book on here once that I read called The End of the Suburbs, which was about how families all across America are tired of living in the suburbs and have a desire to live in the city nowadays. Older people might not see it that way, because older people grew up in the Golden Age of the suburbs if you will, when families were bursting at the seems moving OUT of the city! Here in Jackson, the flight to the suburbs was so rapid that the city made Capitol Street one way, because everyone working in Jackson lived in the suburbs just about! Today however, more & more families grow tired of living in the suburbs that they had to grow up in. I for one am one of them, I grew up in Ridgeland, and went to school there and graduated high school there, but as I got older, I grew real tired of the whole suburbs vs. city battle, and decided to embrace the entire Metro area! I love Jackson, I love the city, and regardless of the negative things that a lot of people say about it, tons of people & families are moving there everyday!

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

I don't think Fondren was ever a "ghetto".

Jackson is probably getting "bluer", since the people moving into the city are likely Democrats.

[madison2013]

Originally Posted by zblanton1

I talked about this a long time ago on this forum, but yes, families are indeed moving back into the city/inner city

Sure

Sure

[golden eagles fan]

Originally Posted by Mouldy Old Schmo

I don't think Fondren was ever a "ghetto".

Jackson is probably getting "bluer", since the people moving into the city are likely Democrats.

Jackson has been largely Democratic for years, like many big cities.

[madison2013]

Originally Posted by golden eagles fan

Jackson has been largely Democratic for years, like many big cities.

Wait, you mean all the supposed families moving into Jackson aren't Republican???

[zblanton1]

Originally Posted by madison2013

Wait, you mean all the supposed families moving into Jackson aren't Republican???

A lot of young people today are Democrats, and they are under the impression that the Democratic party is more progressive than the Republican party.

[madison2013]

Originally Posted by zblanton1

A lot of young people today are Democrats, and they are under the impression that the Democratic party is more progressive than the Republican party.

Oh god. It was sarcasm about your earlier ridiculous suggestion that families are flocking to Jackson.

[Neshomamench]

Jackson itself is still shrinking. Of the hundreds of cities in this country with more than 50,000 people, Jackson is one of the very few that keeps losing people. I think it is absurd to think a few anecdotal accounts of people moving back into the city is going to change the demographics any time soon.

[Salvatore Marciano]

I will believe Jackson is getting Whiter if I start seeing more White kids in Jackson's K-12 public schools. As of this writing, all of Jackson's K-12 public schools are still either all Black or overwhelmingly Black.