Residential income segregation

2009
united states

Residential income segregation is the phenomenon where people of different income levels live in separate neighborhoods or areas within a city or region. This segregation can be driven by various factors, including economic inequality, social class divisions, and housing affordability.

Income segregation often results in neighborhoods or communities with concentrated poverty or affluence. Lower-income individuals may be concentrated in areas with limited access to quality schools, employment opportunities, healthcare, and other resources. On the other hand, higher-income individuals may live in areas with better infrastructure, services, and amenities.

This segregation can have significant social and economic consequences. It can reinforce and perpetuate socioeconomic disparities, as individuals from different income brackets have limited opportunities for interaction and social mobility. It can also lead to the concentration of social problems such as crime, drug abuse, and inadequate public services in low-income areas.

Income segregation is influenced by various factors, including housing policies, discrimination, residential preferences, and market forces. Policies promoting affordable housing, mixed-income neighborhoods, and equitable urban planning can help to mitigate income segregation and promote greater socioeconomic diversity and integration within communities.

Further reading

Gallagher R.M. (2021) "Income segregation's impact on local public expenditures: Evidence from municipalities and school districts, 1980 2010", Regional Science and Urban Economics, 90(), pp. -. Elsevier B.V.. DOI: 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2021.103710

Pangallo M.; Nadal J.-P.; Vignes A. (2019) "Residential income segregation: A behavioral model of the housing market", Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 159(), pp. 15-35. Elsevier B.V.. DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2019.01.010

De Fraja G.; Martínez-Mora F. (2014) "The desegregating effect of school tracking", Journal of Urban Economics, 80(), pp. 164-177. . DOI: 10.1016/j.jue.2014.01.001

Watson T. (2009) "Inequality and the measurement of residential segregation by income in american neighborhoods", Review of Income and Wealth, 55(3), pp. 820-844. . DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4991.2009.00346.x

Ng M.K.M.; Roper J.; Lee C.L.; Pettit C. (2022) "The Reflection of Income Segregation and Accessibility Cleavages in Sydney’s House Prices", ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 11(7), pp. -. MDPI. DOI: 10.3390/ijgi11070413

Quick M.; Revington N. (2022) "Exploring the global and local patterns of income segregation in Toronto, Canada: A multilevel multigroup modeling approach", Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, 49(2), pp. 637-653. SAGE Publications Ltd. DOI: 10.1177/23998083211021419

Mehta A. (2021) "SALT, Subsidies, and Subnational Spending", Columbia Journal of Law and Social Problems, 54(2), pp. 219-260. Columbia Law Review Association. DOI: [1]

Haddad M.A. (2020) "Residential income segregation and commuting in a Latin American city", Applied Geography, 117(), pp. -. Elsevier Ltd. DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2020.102186

Galster G.; Turner L.M. (2019) "Status Aversion, Attraction and Discrepancy as Drivers of Neighborhood Selection", City and Community, 18(3), pp. 937-964. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. DOI: 10.1111/cico.12435

Wichowsky A. (2019) "Civic Life in the Divided Metropolis: Social Capital, Collective Action, and Residential Income Segregation", Urban Affairs Review, 55(1), pp. 257-287. SAGE Publications Inc.. DOI: 10.1177/1078087416688097

Saporito S. (2017) "Shaping Income Segregation in Schools: The Role of School Attendance Zone Geography", American Educational Research Journal, 54(6), pp. 1345-1377. SAGE Publications Inc.. DOI: 10.3102/0002831217724116

Agostini C.A.; Hojman D.; Román A.; Valenzuela L. (2016) "Income residential segregation in Greater Santiago, 1992 2002: A robust estimation; [Segregación residencial de ingresos en el Gran Santiago, 1992 2002: Una estimación robusta]", Eure, 42(127), pp. 159-184. Revista de Geografia Norte Grande. DOI: 10.4067/S0250-71612016000300007