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Demographic Analysis of Gorgas Neighborhood: Persistent Low Diversity and Black Majority
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
The Gorgas neighborhood in Mobile, Alabama, exhibits a Low Diversity demographic profile with a Black Majority. As of 2022, 96% of the population identified as Black. The median income in 2022 was $33,454, showing an increase from previous years. Gorgas is named after William Crawford Gorgas, a U.S. Army physician known for his work in controlling yellow fever and malaria.
Over the past decade, Gorgas has maintained its status as a Low Diversity neighborhood with a Black Majority. From 2013 to 2022, the Black population remained dominant, fluctuating between 96% and 98%. This stability suggests an entrenched community structure with minimal demographic shifts. The White population increased slightly from 1% in 2013 to 3% in 2022. A small multiracial population emerged from 2018 onwards, indicating a gradual trend towards slightly increased diversity.
The neighborhood has experienced economic changes over the past decade. The median income rose from $16,909 in 2013 to $33,454 in 2022. This increase suggests an improvement in the economic conditions of residents. The most substantial income increase occurred between 2018 and 2019, from $28,118 to $35,675. This coincided with a slight decrease in the Black population percentage and a small increase in the White population percentage.
Population trends show a decline from 4,645 in 2010 to 3,068 in 2022. This population decrease, coupled with rising median incomes, could suggest factors such as gentrification, out-migration of lower-income residents, or improved economic conditions for long-term residents.
The demographic stability of Gorgas contrasts with national trends, which have shown increasing diversity in urban areas over the past decade. The neighborhood's persistent Low Diversity profile with a strong Black Majority is characteristic of historically segregated urban areas in the American South.
The economic growth in Gorgas, while significant, still places the neighborhood below the national median household income, which was around $70,784 in 2021. This indicates that the neighborhood still faces economic challenges compared to national averages.
The declining population in Gorgas runs counter to the trend of urban population growth seen in many U.S. cities over the past decade. This could be indicative of broader challenges facing Mobile or specific issues within the Gorgas neighborhood that are prompting outmigration.
In conclusion, Gorgas has maintained a stable racial composition over the past decade and experienced notable economic improvements. However, these changes have occurred against a backdrop of population decline, suggesting a complex scenario of neighborhood transformation that merits further investigation into local policies, economic development initiatives, and community dynamics.
