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Demographic Analysis of Summit Neighborhood: Low Diversity and White Majority
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Summit, a neighborhood in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, exhibits a Low Diversity demographic profile with a significant White Majority. As of 2022, 89% of the population identifies as white, with a median income of $140,717. This affluent enclave is known for its upscale residential areas and proximity to Wake Forest University, contributing to its distinct socio-economic character.
Over the past decade, Summit has consistently maintained its status as a Low Diversity neighborhood with a White Majority. From 2013 to 2019, there was a gradual increase in racial diversity, with the Black population rising from 0% to 21%. This shift briefly pushed the neighborhood towards Moderate Diversity in 2019. Post-2019, there was a reversal of this trend, with the white population increasing again to 89% by 2022, reinforcing its Low Diversity status. The neighborhood has seen minimal representation from other racial groups throughout the decade, with occasional small percentages in the "Other" category emerging in recent years.
The economic profile of Summit has shown correlations with its demographic shifts. Median income saw a steady increase from $117,199 in 2013 to a peak of $162,077 in 2018, coinciding with the period of slightly increasing diversity. Post-2018, as the neighborhood reverted to its predominantly white composition, median income experienced a decline, stabilizing around $140,000 in recent years. The population of Summit has decreased significantly over the decade, from 244 in 2013 to 120 in 2022. This decline accelerated post-2019, coinciding with the reversal in diversity trends.
Summit's demographic and economic trends present a case study when compared to national trends. While many urban areas across the U.S. have been experiencing increasing diversity, Summit has maintained its predominantly white composition, diverging from the national trend. The neighborhood's median income remains significantly higher than the national median, indicating its status as an affluent enclave. The population decline in Summit contrasts with the general trend of urban population growth seen in many U.S. cities, suggesting possible factors such as aging population, outmigration, or changes in housing preferences. The brief period of increasing diversity followed by a reversion to low diversity might reflect broader tensions between demographic change and community resistance to such changes, a phenomenon observed in various affluent suburbs across the country.
Summit represents a case of a high-income, low-diversity neighborhood that has largely resisted the demographic shifts seen in many urban areas. The correlation between its brief period of increasing diversity and peak economic performance, followed by a reversal in both trends, raises questions about the interplay between racial composition, economic prosperity, and community dynamics in affluent American neighborhoods.
