Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Tennessee > Memphis
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 07-26-2011, 06:40 AM
 
Location: East Memphis
845 posts, read 2,535,914 times
Reputation: 455

Advertisements

Mapping the 2010 U.S. Census - NYTimes.com


This link shows the demographic trends for every county in the US. You can also type in a city or zip code and get information on specific census tracts. It is very interesting.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 07-26-2011, 10:43 AM
 
469 posts, read 966,802 times
Reputation: 321
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tigertate View Post
Mapping the 2010 U.S. Census - NYTimes.com


This link shows the demographic trends for every county in the US. You can also type in a city or zip code and get information on specific census tracts. It is very interesting.
You know I cringed at having another set of stats brought up to prove something negative about Memphis again, like the unique "White Flight" phenonenon, but after pulling this map up the thing which stands out to me is how widespread and NOT unique to Memphis the seeming movement of caucasions away to the bedroom counties really is. Yes, Memphis has had a 14% reduction in White citizens over the ten year census period, but in several counties in the Atlanta metro for example, the flight ranges from -5% to -56%. I noted the following reductions in whites:
Baltimore - -34%
Jackson, MS -26%
Dallas - -20%
Cleveland - -14%
Pilly - -13%
Chicago -11%
St. Louis - -11%
Birmingham - -10%
Denver - -9%
Indy - - 9%
L.A. - - 8%
K.C. & O.K.C. - 4%

Nashville & Jackson, TN had a 3% loss. Even a slight flight is not the picture usually painted of Nashville.
The point is that Memphis is smack dab in the middle of a not so unheard of demographic alteration which wouldn't have been quite this dramatic without the arrogant invitation by a former mayor for one portion to leave.
To me there are now many common goals for all this metro's citizens to support, making the future brighter than some would have you think.

Last edited by REPBOY; 07-26-2011 at 10:47 AM.. Reason: sp
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-26-2011, 11:48 AM
 
1,292 posts, read 4,988,505 times
Reputation: 1209
You have to remember that Nashville is something like 97% white to begin with, so you wouldn't expect to see a large percentage there...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-26-2011, 11:51 AM
 
Location: East Memphis
845 posts, read 2,535,914 times
Reputation: 455
Quote:
Originally Posted by REPBOY View Post
You know I cringed at having another set of stats brought up to prove something negative about Memphis again, like the unique "White Flight" phenonenon, but after pulling this map up the thing which stands out to me is how widespread and NOT unique to Memphis the seeming movement of caucasions away to the bedroom counties really is. Yes, Memphis has had a 14% reduction in White citizens over the ten year census period, but in several counties in the Atlanta metro for example, the flight ranges from -5% to -56%. I noted the following reductions in whites:
Baltimore - -34%
Jackson, MS -26%
Dallas - -20%
Cleveland - -14%
Pilly - -13%
Chicago -11%
St. Louis - -11%
Birmingham - -10%
Denver - -9%
Indy - - 9%
L.A. - - 8%
K.C. & O.K.C. - 4%

Nashville & Jackson, TN had a 3% loss. Even a slight flight is not the picture usually painted of Nashville.
The point is that Memphis is smack dab in the middle of a not so unheard of demographic alteration which wouldn't have been quite this dramatic without the arrogant invitation by a former mayor for one portion to leave.
To me there are now many common goals for all this metro's citizens to support, making the future brighter than some would have you think.

I completely agree. The trend is definitely not unique to Memphis. Another trend I found interesting was the explosive growth of black residents in Desoto County. I wonder how this will progress over the next 10 years or so. I have an eerie suspicion that once Desoto County gets enough black residents to start seriously impacting the political arena where you start seeing black faces in positions of power, the white population growth in the county will become stagnant. I hope I am wrong, but history would say otherwise.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-26-2011, 04:26 PM
 
Location: Franklin, TN
6,662 posts, read 13,299,084 times
Reputation: 7613
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeCartpath View Post
You have to remember that Nashville is something like 97% white to begin with, so you wouldn't expect to see a large percentage there...
66% to begin with. 57% now.

But you were close.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-29-2011, 10:55 AM
 
Location: Manhattan
506 posts, read 1,008,943 times
Reputation: 252
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeCartpath View Post
You have to remember that Nashville is something like 97% white to begin with, so you wouldn't expect to see a large percentage there...
How would that be related at all?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-29-2011, 01:09 PM
 
Location: Nashville
597 posts, read 2,105,026 times
Reputation: 668
A lot of times people move when their kids get middle school age to take advantage of the better schools. I wouldn't necessarily consider it flight, just concerned parenting. I'd be tempted to do it that way myself and then move back closer in later. I sure there's many reasons other than the one considered most popular.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-29-2011, 01:21 PM
 
1,292 posts, read 4,988,505 times
Reputation: 1209
Quote:
Originally Posted by Snake Plissken View Post
How would that be related at all?
Simple mathematics. If two areas have about the same number of people leaving, the one with the larger population to begin with will have a lower percentage of flight.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-29-2011, 01:31 PM
 
1,292 posts, read 4,988,505 times
Reputation: 1209
Quote:
Originally Posted by nashvols View Post
66% to begin with. 57% now.

But you were close.
I guess it just seems like a much larger percentage whenever I'm there. I could be wrong since I don't know Nashville THAT well, but it seems as if Nashville is more segregated and Memphis is more homogenous - but that could easily just be the case in the areas in Nashville I usually visit. At any rate, Nashville's percentage is almost double that of Memphis...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-29-2011, 03:18 PM
 
Location: Franklin, TN
6,662 posts, read 13,299,084 times
Reputation: 7613
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeCartpath View Post
I guess it just seems like a much larger percentage whenever I'm there. I could be wrong since I don't know Nashville THAT well, but it seems as if Nashville is more segregated and Memphis is more homogenous - but that could easily just be the case in the areas in Nashville I usually visit. At any rate, Nashville's percentage is almost double that of Memphis...

Nashville


Memphis



I don't think either city is very homogenous, but not nearly as segregated as some other big cities (especially in the NE). Both areas have their dominant black and white areas, as well as more diverse parts of town.

Red = white
Blue = black
Green = Asian
Orange = Hispanic

Here's the set (http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkingsf/sets/72157624812674967/with/4981413599/ - broken link) if you are curious about how the other cities look.

Btw: this is Census 2000 data...so obviously some things have changed for both cities. (For more up to date data...look at the link Tigertate provided and select 'view more maps' on the left hand side, and then select the 'Racial/Ethnic Distribution 2010' map - they just don't have anything in handy link or pic form).



As for your experience in Nashville...if you are on the west side (West End, Green Hills, etc) or in the suburbs, yes, it would seem to be a dominantly white city...but by the same token, if you spent all of your time in South Memphis, you might think there are no white people in Memphis.

To break down the numbers a little:
Memphis is...
63.1% black
27.5% white
6.5% Hispanic
1.6% Asian
1.4% other races/ethnicities or two or more races

Nashville is...
56.3% white
28.2% black
10.0% Hispanic
3.1% Asian
2.3% other races/ethnicities or two or more races

Some comparisons can be made...Memphis's white population is about the same percentage as Nashville's black population. So think about it that way.


But anyhoo...we need to get off of this Memphis/Nashville comparison tract before some mud gets slung.




Back to what the others were saying...

No, the 'white flight' phenomenon isn't unique to Memphis...plenty of other big cities are experiencing it or have experienced it. I think Dave brings up a good point about the schools. In the current state of things, Memphis City Schools are terrible. White families with enough money to move to the suburbs (but still want public schools) will do so in order to put their children in a better educational setting.

It's definitely a problem a lot of big cities have. If Memphis and Shelby County can come up with some sort of positive solution to the schools, the trend could slow down (or perhaps even reverse). Of course, there are a number of other obstacles...but I think Memphis got the biggest one (Herenton) out of the way. Your Mayor Wharton has a lot of work to do...but he seems to have the right attitude. Memphis needs to make it a priority to reverse the overall population loss.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram

Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Tennessee > Memphis
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:01 AM.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top