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Demographic Analysis of Hampton Ridge: A Low Diversity, White Majority Neighborhood
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Hampton Ridge, a neighborhood in Columbia, South Carolina, exhibits a Low Diversity profile with a White Majority. In 2022, 95% of its population identified as white. The neighborhood had a high median income of $138,618 in 2022, which was significantly above the national average. Hampton Ridge is characterized by well-maintained golf courses and upscale residential areas.
Over the past decade, Hampton Ridge has maintained its status as a White Majority community within the Low Diversity category. From 2013 to 2019, the neighborhood showed signs of moving towards Moderate Diversity, with a slight increase in Black and Asian populations. The percentage of white residents decreased from 91% in 2013 to 89% in 2019. Post-2019, there was a reversal of this trend, with the white population increasing to 95% by 2022, reinforcing its Low Diversity status. The Hispanic population, which peaked at 6% in 2014, declined to 0% by 2022.
The demographic shifts correlate with economic trends. The median income increased from $131,905 in 2013 to a peak of $170,416 in 2018, coinciding with the period of slightly increased diversity. Post-2018, as the neighborhood reverted to lower diversity, the median income fluctuated but generally decreased, settling at $138,618 in 2022. The population has remained relatively stable, with minor fluctuations.
Hampton Ridge's demographic profile contrasts with national trends towards increasing diversity. While many urban areas across the U.S. have been experiencing growing diversity, Hampton Ridge has maintained and strengthened its racial homogeneity. The neighborhood's high median income remains well above the national median household income, indicating that it remains an affluent area despite some economic volatility. The trend of decreasing diversity coupled with a slight decline in median income post-2018 could reflect broader national patterns of wealth concentration and economic segregation.
Hampton Ridge presents a case of a high-income, predominantly white neighborhood that has resisted broader trends towards increased diversity. The correlation between its brief period of increasing diversity and peak median income, followed by a return to greater homogeneity and slightly lower incomes, raises questions about the interplay between racial composition, economic status, and community dynamics in affluent American suburbs.
