Posted on 05/11/2010 3:51:57 PM PDT by Lorianne
White flight? In a reversal, America's suburbs are now more likely to be home to minorities, the poor and a rapidly growing older population as younger, educated Whites move to cities for jobs and shorter commutes.
An analysis of 2000-08 census data by the Brookings Institution highlights the demographic "tipping points" seen in the past decade and the looming problems in the 100 largest metropolitan areas, which represent two-thirds of the U.S. population.
The findings could offer an important road map as political parties, including the tea party movement, seek to win support in suburban battlegrounds in the fall elections and beyond. In 2008, Barack Obama carried a substantial share of the suburbs, partly with the help of minorities and immigrants.
The analysis being released today provides the freshest detail on the nation's growing race and age divide, now feeding tensions in Arizona over its new immigration law.
Ten states, led by Arizona, surpass the nation in a "cultural generation gap" in which the senior populations are disproportionately White and children are mostly minority.
This gap is pronounced in suburbs of fast-growing areas in the Southwest, including those in Florida, California, Nevada, and Texas.
Calling 2010 the "decade of reckoning," the report urges policymakers to shed outdated notions of America's cities and suburbs and work quickly to address the coming problems caused by the dramatic shifts in population.
Among its recommendations: affordable housing and social services for older people in the suburbs; better transit systems to link cities and suburbs; and a new federal Office of New Americans to serve the education and citizenship needs of the rapidly growing immigrant community.
Other findings:
• About 83 percent of the U.S. population growth since 2000 was minority, part of a trend that will see minorities become the majority by mid-century. Across all large metro areas, the majority of the child population is now non-White.
• The suburban poor grew by 25 percent between 1999 and 2008 - five times the growth rate of the poor in cities. City residents are more likely to live in "deep" poverty, while a higher share of suburban residents have incomes just below the poverty line.
(exerpted)
Of course, many such folks leave the city when the get into their 30s and get sick of paying $3,000 a month for a closet.
Don't remind me. I live in Astoria and these folks are an infestation. I actually miss it when it was quiet, proletarian, and "ethnic." Chad and Heather need to move back in with mommy and daddy.
The U.S. adds one international migrant (net) every 34 seconds. Immigrants account for one in 8 U.S. residents, the highest level in more than 80 years. In 1970 it was one in 21; in 1980 it was one in 16; and in 1990 it was one in 13. In a decade, it will be one in 7, the highest it has been in our history. And by 2050, one in 5 residents of the U.S. will be foreign-born.
The “educated” don’t move to Florida. Old people, scam artists, immigrants, ex-cons, and the terminally stupid do.
True. The funny thing is that many of the immigrants are not settling in central cities, but in older suburbs (or in garden apartments out in the exurbs).
What you will find is that most of these “young Whites” moving to cities are either singles, with no kids, or DINKS. They are in the city to party after working hours and are not interested in raising families right now.
Many plan to have kids “someday,” and *then* will move back to the ‘burbs. At least that’s what they tell themselves. But then they put off having kids until later, and later and later. Kind of a “Children of Men” situation. . .
There has always been a push-pull dynamic to the growth of suburbs. Historically, at any given price point, the 'burbs have offered newer and generally larger homes and yards. That's fine and dandy. This is the "pull," and it is a natural competitive advantage.
The "push," however, is something else. Cities didn't become the disaster areas so many of them are by accident. Cities have enormous inherent advantages in convenience and amenities, but these are often outweighed by the familiar but deadly combination of high crime, high taxes, and crummy schools.
Vouchers and school choice aren't a magic wand, but they would quickly and dramatically improve one of the most important push factors. Young people still move to the cities for their jobs, and they generally enjoy the attractions of urban life. Then they have kids. They still don't move to the 'burbs immediately; they move when the kids approach school age.
Cities are a great place to raise kids if you live in a reasonably safe neighborhood. But the price of private schooling is a huge factor. The tradeoff is pretty simple: tuition vs. a long commute and the need to spend the weekend chauffering the kids.
Fix the schools and we'll have gone a long way to fixing the cities.
Young whites aren't getting married, starting families and moving to the 'burbs right out of college anymore. I did the same thing. Moved to an apartment close to work, close to the restaurants, shopping, cafes and nightclubs of downtown Denver when I was in my mid 20s. Had a good time. Downtown was a great place to live when I was young, single and had a disposable income. I wouldn't want to raise a family in that environment though, not that it was a concern at the time.
True. It is happening more and more in the DC metro area. Housing is cheaper the further out you go, which is why many immigrants settle in the suburbs or exburbs. Commuting is getting to be more and more undesireable as the roads and mass transit become clogged, expensive, and time consuming. Gentrification of DC is ongoing. The main thing is where the jobs are located.
That’s what I am thinking too.
But I wonder if other issues wouldn’t arrive to segregate people out of their choice to live in the city?
Say we fix school choice with vouchers, and schools improve as a result as we pro-voucher people expect ... it seems to me that would make housing costs within the city rise even more ... as there would be more demand.
Either way, it seems the trend is moving toward more central city living (and first/second ring “close-in” older suburbs).
And there are political implications with our current immigration policies that will make the Reps the permanent minority party.
Immigration, Political Realignment, and the Demise of Republican Political Prospects
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So to any suburbanites who measure the worth of things by square footage, I'll just say "been there and done that."
My kids are growing up on Capitol Hill, in an historic neighborhood they probably won't appreciate until they leave. For all I know, they'll choose to complete the generational cycle and will invest in a suburban McMansion and a big riding mower. Different strokes for different folks. Their choice.
When they're old enough to understand, however, I don't think they'll regret having grown up in an historic neighborhood, one with character, within walking distance of school and friends, and with parents who can attend most school functions and get home in 15 minutes in the evening. Kinda neat to walk to the Smithsonian or take in a band concert on the Capitol steps, and then walk home.
Gentrification is one part of the picture, and I expect it to continue. The growth of employment hubs in the suburbs is another. Many of the suburbs are becoming urban places in their own right, and that's fine. The DC area is a good example; DC is the hub surrounded by a growing network of satellite cities.
If I worked in the 'burbs, I'd want to live out there too. There are good neighborhoods scattered all over. That's why it's a suspect decision to live 25 miles from your job and spend 4 hours a day in your car.
We have plenty of suburbs that have large minority populations here in Los Angeles. One in particular comes to mind right away, south-central LA now called south LA. The locals have another name for this wonderful suburb, its called “the hood” and I’m sure that this study identified many many suburban “hoods” to make this sound all warm and fuzzy to idiot liberals that read this kind of BS.
This is news? What is in the suburbs for a young unmarried person? He’ll I won’t live in the suburbs.
Is the Pizza at Rizzos on Steinway still good?
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