Chicago Most Segregated City In America, Despite Significant Improvements In Last Decade

A Census data study conducted by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research shows segregation in urban areas has gone down nationwide as a whole.

But the City of Chicago is the most racially segregated city in the country !!

The report has some possible reasons.


First Posted: 01/31/2012 12:49 pm Updated: 01/31/2012 12:49 pm -- HuffPost article

The results of a Census data study conducted by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research revealed that segregation in urban areas has gone down nationwide, with Chicago experiencing the second-largest declines. But the study, titled "The End of the Segregated Century," also found that Chicago remains the most racially segregated city in the country.

"A half-century ago, one-fifth of America’s urban neighborhoods had exactly zero black residents," wrote study authors Edward Glaeser and Jacob L. Vigdor in the report summary. "Today, African-American residents can be found in 199 out of every 200 neighborhoods nationwide."

But the report attributes a significant proportion of these advances in integration to African-Americans' departure from older, more segregated cities in favor of "less segregated Sun Belt cities and suburbs." For example, Chicago's current "great migration," which has drawn many black residents to southern cities.

Chicago Most Segregated City In America, Despite Significant Improvements In Last Decade

Racial Separation in America's Neighborhoods, 1890-2010


Any Chicago people have any opinions ??

Suburbanite comments welcome

Yet we are the most diverse city in the country Yes it sucks!! Blame the politicians

reply to post by xuenchen


To me this has been common knowledge my whole life here in Chicagoland. I think there is a tie - in to the public housing which was created back in the 50's and 60's. Much of those buildings have been torn down though. So I'm not sure why it stays so segragated. Maybe it comes from Chicago's own black leaders? I'm just guessing.

I live in Chicago, englewood all black, little villiage all mexican, garfield ridge all white. Thats how it works, its like a divider, cultures that start in a certain spot and end in another. all have their own look, like you walk into garfield ridge and you see the majority of the polish culture, leave there go into englewood and you have to duck or wear protective gear and same goes for little villiage except their you can get really good deals at all the flea markets.

Does anyone think the 'boundries" are economic ?

I know some of the older "black" neighborhoods are middle class.

Unless these places are segregated by force there really isnt any point in feigning outrage.

Should we all be up in arms at how segregated Chinatown is? Maybe send armed integration officers in to round families up and disperse them more evenly throughout the city?

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
Unless these places are segregated by force there really isnt any point in feigning outrage.

Should we all be up in arms at how segregated Chinatown is? Maybe send armed integration officers in to round families up and disperse them more evenly throughout the city?

OMG China town is seriously it's own country, you drive into there and they have their own hospital all in chinese, newspapers, even a TV station, it looks like it's straight out of China