A new study was released by The Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program this week. This is a wealth of fascinating information about trends in diversity in the US. Some of the key findings are:
- Hispanic and Asian populations are spreading out from their traditional metro centers into the suburban areas surrounds the largest metro areas and into the fastest growing metro areas like Las Vegas and Phoenix. The study noted that traditionally, immigrant minorities have tended to stay clustered in ports of entry (LA, NYC, Miami, etc) for reasons of friendship, family networks and social support, where as whites have not been "bound" by these considerations as well as facing nearly no barriers to integrating into destination communities. So, economics has spread white populations around more while immigrant minorities have stayed in metro areas in spite of economic hardships. This says a lot about the narrative shaping the white population in America.
- 111 of the 361 metro areas in the US showed a decline in white population from 2000 to 2004 with the largest absolute losses occuring in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. This is not slowing down either. What's driving this? Higher birth rates among minorities, continued immigration, and the distribution of the immigrant population through larger parts of the US.
- If you live near Riverside, California, you should read the whole report. The forces shaping San Bernardino and Riverside counties are immense.
This is just a small part of this fascinating report. You can read a USA Today report on this report or get the whole thing. Also, a cool thing I found on the Brookings Institution website is something called Living Cities Datebook Series. They list 23 of the largest cities in America with a wealth of information! Check it out!
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