In this article, we will be navigating through the dynamics of segregation in the United States while exploring the 20 most segregated cities in the country.
A Brief Account on Segregation in America
America has long been subject to the restriction of people to specific spaces based on their race, a phenomenon also known as racial segregation. The nation holds a long history of witnessing African Americans being separated from the Whites up to the extent that Black units were separated from White units in the Armed Forces. In the domain of education, schools were segregated with limited opportunities for Black students. Racial residential segregation further resulted in sore outcomes for people of color.
Racial residential segregation has been quite profound in the US under which people of color are denied opportunities for housing. An analysis of this segregation in the country revealed that 81% of the metropolitan regions with over 200,000 residents were more segregated in 2019 as compared to 1990. Segregated communities of color had the highest neighborhood poverty rates surpassing the poverty in segregated white neighborhoods by three folds. Black children also earned higher incomes when raised in white neighborhoods.
As reported by NPR, residential segregation began in America in 1933 when the federal government facilitated White families with housing, leaving behind people of color with restricted choices. The Federal Housing Administration aggravated the situation by not insuring mortgages in African-American neighborhoods or nearby. The practice of redlining was used to color those neighborhoods red where African Americans lived to depict that such areas were risky for insuring mortgages. Thus, many of the US areas still remain segregated after between the Whites and the Blacks after all these years.
How is the Homebuilding Industry Facilitating Americans Now?
While the effects of the prior segregation-inducing housing policies persist across America, the homebuilding industry has come forward with ample opportunities for buyers to find their best fit in the locations they wish to settle in. Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN) is a leading American home builder that constructs affordable, move-up, and active adult homes. It also engages in the development of high-quality multifamily rental properties in the country. The company evolved from being a local Miami homebuilder in 1954 to becoming one of America’s largest homebuilders. Its operations span 26 states across the US including some of the most segregated cities such as Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Austin, and Miami. In a nation where the homeownership rate for Black Americans was 44% in 2021 while it was as high as 72.7% for White Americans, Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN) has made homeownership and mortgage access easy for those who find it inaccessible. The firm’s single-family rental business fosters social equity and upward mobility by providing single-family living to a diverse range of Americans even if they cannot yet own. Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN) was successful in being recognized among the top 5% of mortgage lenders in social impact and racial equity by the National Association of Minority Mortgage Bankers of America (NAMMBA) in 2023. Furthermore, the Lennar Foundation serves underserved communities in the US by aiming to enhance their quality of life. The Lennar Foundation has funded Florida Memorial University’s Certificate Program in Construction Trades which is the first of its kind in a historically black college.
The latest interest rate decision given by the Fed aligns with the company’s strategy. Officials have signaled just one rate cut which is expected in September based on Wall Street’s best bet, given that inflation continues to fall in the next few months. Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN) is in a good position to cater to the pent-up demand as soon as interest rates fall.
During the earnings call, Executive Chairman Stuart Miller referred to the macro environment as relatively constructive for American homebuilders. While the nation’s housing demand remains strong and the supply remains seriously low, the company is catering to working-class families by focusing on community-scale, build-to-rent, and single-family for-rent homes. Multiple markets continue to be strong including most of Florida, Atlanta, the Carolinas, and Texas based on an underlying demand. This proves that the housing demand is enough for the company to strive for profit through residential construction which is also the homebuilding mission of the firm. However, high interest rates and affordability continue to be major concerns among buyers right now. For this purpose, the homebuilder is engaging in the construction of attainable homes for primary purchasers. During the second quarter of 2024, Lennar (NYSE:LEN) started approximately 21,400 homes while it sold 21,300 homes, in line with its overall target for 2024.
25 Most Segregated Cities in the US
Our Methodology:
In order to compile a list of the 20 most segregated cities in the US, we did a sentiment analysis on Reddit. First, we aggregated the list of the most segregated US cities by sifting through 5 online rankings. Next, we used Reddit to find 15 threads that asked people about the most segregated cities. We read and analyzed all the comments and added the upvotes for each city on our list. Lastly, we shortlisted cities that had at least a total of 150 upvotes and ranked the cities on our list in ascending order of the total upvotes on Reddit.
Note: This list is not exhaustive and does not reflect our opinion. The ranking is solely based on the opinions of Reddit users.
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25 Most Segregated Cities in the US
25. Pittsburgh
Upvotes: 167
Redlining in Pittsburgh ended up having bitter consequences for the city as some of its parts were deprived of investment. The city has also seen Black neighborhoods suffering from higher poverty levels. The effects of redlining were long-lasting and still deems Pittsburgh as one of the most segregated cities in the United States.
24. Santa Ana
Upvotes: 175
Situated in the Greater Los Angeles region of Southern California is the city of Santa Ana which ranks 24th on our list. The city has undergone racial inequality in the form of segregation of Mexican American students into Mexican schools. Since Mexican children were considered to be Spanish speakers, they were forced into separate schools.
23. Dallas
Upvotes: 180
Historical policies in Dallas have propagated segregation in the city which benefitted the White residents. The city has given preference to White neighborhoods when it comes to building public amenities or working on infrastructure while Black communities were discriminated against and experienced disinvestment.
22. Oakland
Upvotes: 185
Another US city that experiences a lot of diversity as well as segregation is Oakland. Residential segregation in terms of race is common in the city. Extremely segregated Black and Hispanic neighborhoods are high in Oakland.
21. Atlanta
Upvotes: 191
Racial injustice has been prevalent in Atlanta which ranks as another segregated city in the United States. The Black population in the city has even previously fought to stay in their houses. Although the residential segregation in Atlanta city dropped in 2022, it remains high.
20. Houston
Upvotes: 230
One of the most racially diverse cities in the US, Houston, ranks 20th on our list of the most segregated cities in the country. The racially segregated neighborhoods in the city come from housing discrimination. White neighborhoods in Houston tend to enjoy better opportunities for education and employment other than lower crime rates.
19. Washington, DC
Upvotes: 234
The discriminatory policies in housing and economic progress in Washington, DC led to the current segregation scenario. While the Black students in the city’s public schools were hit by educational segregation, disinvestment from Black neighborhoods also took place.
18. Austin
Upvotes: 239
Reddit users have referred to Austin as a pretty segregated city as compared to other cities in Texas. Some people attribute the city’s segregation to the construction of I-35 which divided Austin into an East and West side following which the West side of the city enjoyed development perks.
17. Peoria
Upvotes: 243
Peoria County in Illinois hosts the US city of Peoria where black and white residential segregation is present. The Black community in the city had to reside in substandard housing with segregated movie theatres. Previous policies that restricted people of color from owning homes in specific neighborhoods or accessing loans made Peoria segregated.
16. Los Angeles
Upvotes: 257
Despite diversity rising in Los Angeles over the years, it is still considered segregated. Those with wealth and the right skin color living in Los Angeles have been mentioned by Reddit users to be more privileged.
15. Buffalo
Upvotes: 259
Buffalo has been cited to be one of the most racially segregated cities in America. People of color in the city have also been subject to economic segregation. The city’s public school system is segregated with underperforming schools where Black students tend to be concentrated.
14. Montgomery
Upvotes: 312
Montgomery serves as the capital city of the US state of Alabama. Due to the racial segregation practices on its public transport system, the city witnessed a bus boycott in its history. This segregation was such that African Americans were made to take the back seats or couldn’t be drivers.
13. Boston
Upvotes: 322
Boston is one of the most segregated cities in the United States. The city has been known to be racist for Black Americans. The median net worth and life expectancy have been found to differ among the Black residents and the White residents of Boston.
12. Philadelphia
Upvotes: 331
Although Philadelphia serves as one of the most racially diverse cities in the US, it ranks on our list of the most segregated cities. Racial segregation can be witnessed in Northwest Philadelphia where zip codes only two miles away hosting White residents and Black residents respectively have different social outcomes with lower median family income and higher poverty for the Black residents.
11. Miami
Upvotes: 335
African Americans in Miami have faced disparities in various aspects of life including education, income, and employment. These people have also been hit by issues of residential segregation and lack of access to home mortgage loans.
10. Newark
Upvotes: 356
Newark is another segregated US city where school segregation has been at its worst. Black and Latino students in the local public system were underrepresented which highly impacted their overall education experience.
9. St. Louis
Upvotes: 371
St. Louis is located in the state of Missouri. Racially restrictive covenants made neighborhoods segregated in the city which has also led to a racial wealth gap. The city ranks 9th among the 25 most segregated cities in the United States.
8. Cincinnati
Upvotes: 374
The 25 most segregated US cities rank Cincinnati as well. Segregation has been present in the city since the 1800s. 1 in 3 city residents reside in neighborhoods that are at least 75% White or Black.
7. Cleveland
Upvotes: 380
Cleveland is situated in Northeast Ohio. Racial partition of the city’s neighborhoods has resulted it in being hyper-segregated in the past. Cleveland has previously suffered from profound housing segregation which is evident from the incident of Cuyahoga County’s landlords denying housing vouchers based on race.
6. Detroit
Upvotes: 391
The US state of Michigan hosts the city of Detroit which is again segregated. The city is home to a significant Black population which has been subject to structural racism and differences in the quality of life.
5. Jackson
Upvotes: 397
Jackson, the capital of Mississippi, ranks 5th among the 25 most segregated cities in the United States. Racial and political divisions have been common and are rather deeply rooted in the city’s history.
4. Memphis
Upvotes: 411
The city of Memphis is positioned in the state of Tennessee. One of the key aspects of segregation can be noticed in housing since Black families in the city have faced limitations in homeownership while White residents have even enjoyed wealth from property ownership.
3. Chicago
Upvotes: 415
The populous city of Chicago also makes it to the 25 most segregated cities in the country. The city has been referred to as the capital of America’s segregation. The old and persistent divide between Black residents and White residents has resulted in challenges such as crime and inequality in Chicago. The city ranks 3rd on our list.
2. New York City
Upvotes: 429
New York City comes second among the most segregated US cities. The city has been cited to be one of the worst in terms of school segregation. Although it has gotten more racially diverse over the years, racial and socio-economic segregation has been a part of NYC.
1. Milwaukee
Upvotes: 441
Milwaukee ranks at the top of the 25 most segregated cities in the US and is a part of the state of Wisconsin. The most notable segregation in the city exists along the lines of race. An analysis of segregation in Milwaukee revealed that its most diverse neighborhoods are positioned on the south, west, and northwest sides. On the contrary, the least diverse neighborhoods are on the north side which is highly segregated and hosts predominantly Black residents. The dilemma concerning the city is that things have not improved over the years although racial integration has been increasing in some suburbs in the city’s southwest and northwest. Housing conditions on the north side are worse off. This has resulted in lower mean family incomes for Black and Hispanic city residents. Racial violence has also been exercised against the Black residents who think of the city as prejudiced and have low hopes of getting adequate justice. Poverty is also more concentrated among this group while unemployment rates remain high. The city’s current segregated state has been largely a product of the historical practice of redlining.
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