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Cold Spring Neighborhood: A Study of Black Majority and Low Diversity
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Cold Spring, a neighborhood in Buffalo, New York, is characterized by Low Diversity with a strong Black Majority. As of 2022, the neighborhood has a population of 1,250 and a median income of $48,487. Cold Spring is part of Buffalo's East Side, an area known for its African American cultural heritage and community resilience in the face of economic challenges.
Over the past decade, Cold Spring has maintained its status as a Black Majority neighborhood. The percentage of Black residents has remained above 75% throughout the observed period, ranging from 76% in 2014 to 96% in 2020 and 2021. This stability in racial composition classifies Cold Spring as a Low Diversity area, with minimal representation from other racial groups.
The White population has fluctuated, declining from 5% in 2014 to 2% in 2020-2021, before slightly increasing to 3% in 2022. The population identifying as Two or More Races has shown variability, peaking at 16% in 2014 but generally remaining around 2% in recent years. These minor fluctuations suggest small-scale demographic changes within the predominantly Black neighborhood.
The economic trajectory of Cold Spring over the past decade has been one of overall improvement. Median income has increased from $24,081 in 2014 to $48,487 in 2022, more than doubling over this period. This income growth coincided with population growth, from 542 residents in 2014 to 1,250 in 2022. The correlation between demographic stability and economic improvement suggests internal economic development without significant gentrification or displacement of the existing Black majority population.
The demographic stability of Cold Spring contrasts with national trends of increasing diversity in many urban areas. The economic improvement in Cold Spring is notable, especially considering the historical economic challenges faced by many predominantly Black neighborhoods in the United States. The doubling of median income over a decade outpaces national averages.
Despite this significant improvement, the 2022 median income of $48,487 still falls below the national median household income, which was around $70,784 in 2021. This indicates that while progress has been made, there is still room for further economic development in Cold Spring.
The stability of the racial composition combined with economic improvement could be indicative of successful community-led development initiatives that have managed to improve economic conditions without leading to displacement of long-term residents, a challenge many urban neighborhoods face during periods of economic growth.
