The color of your skin can dictate where you live in America, according to findings from the Pew Center for Research.
In Atlanta, like many other areas, you can’t help but notice some areas are heavily populated by one race, even though its features are similar to other areas of town.
Over the past 30-plus years, residential segregation by income has skyrocketed nationwide, the Pew Center said in an analysis on the top. The issue is especially pronounced in 27 of the nation’s 30 largest major metropolitan areas.
The institution analyzed housing patterns and incomes in large metropolitan areas to arrive at the figures. Atlanta makes the top 10 on the list.
Here Are The Top 10 Most Racially Segregated Metro Areas In America
The study concludes that housing patterns are largely shaped by income inequality. which has led to fewer neighborhoods of mixed income or middle class.
The study said key differences separated the cities on the list. For instance, the study noted:
“For example, 41% of the lower-income households in the New York metropolitan area are situated in a majority lower-income census tract, compared with 26% of the lower-income households in the Atlanta area.”
To quantify the cities, the Pew Center devised a single Residential Income Segregation Index (RISI) score for each of the nation’s top 30 metropolitan areas.
Atlanta had a 41 RISI score among the nation’s 10 largest metro areas, which was on the lower end. Houston (61) and Dallas (60) have the highest RISI scores, followed closely by New York (57). At the other end of the scale, Boston (36) and Chicago (41).
Other studies indicate that residential segregation is a key metric in health disparities across the country.
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