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Demographic Analysis of Westwood Park, Detroit: A Study of Racial Homogeneity
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Westwood Park, a neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan, currently exhibits Low Diversity with a Black Majority. As of 2022, the community is 100% Black, with a median income of $30,333 and a population of 364. This demographic composition reflects potential historical patterns of racial segregation and urban development in Detroit.
Over the past decade, Westwood Park has maintained its status as a Black Majority community. From 2013 to 2019, the neighborhood showed signs of becoming slightly more diverse, with the percentage of Black residents decreasing from 92% to 93%, while the Hispanic population grew from 0% to 7%. This trend reversed in recent years, with the neighborhood returning to a state of Low Diversity by 2022, with 100% of residents identifying as Black.
The economic trajectory of Westwood Park over the past decade has been volatile. From 2013 to 2016, the neighborhood experienced a decline in median income, dropping from $36,587 to $18,527. Since 2018, there has been a stabilization and slight increase in median income, settling around $30,000. Concurrently, the population has decreased from 1,150 in 2010 to 364 in 2022, a decline of nearly 70%.
The initial economic decline coincided with the period of slightly increasing diversity, while the recent economic stabilization aligns with the return to a more homogeneous racial composition. This suggests a possible interplay between economic factors and demographic shifts, potentially related to changing property values, job opportunities, or neighborhood investment patterns.
Westwood Park's demographic and economic trends should be viewed within the broader context of Detroit's urban landscape. While Detroit has been experiencing some degree of revitalization and diversification in certain neighborhoods, Westwood Park appears to be moving in the opposite direction, becoming more racially homogeneous. The median income in Westwood Park ($30,333 in 2022) remains below the national median household income (approximately $70,784 in 2021), reflecting broader economic challenges in Detroit. The population decline in Westwood Park mirrors trends seen in many Detroit neighborhoods, often attributed to factors such as deindustrialization, suburban migration, and urban decay.
Westwood Park presents a case study of a neighborhood that has maintained and intensified its status as a predominantly Black community, contrary to national trends towards increased diversity. This demographic stability, coupled with economic volatility and population decline, indicates a neighborhood facing socio-economic challenges while maintaining a strong sense of racial identity. The future of Westwood Park will likely depend on how it navigates these demographic and economic realities within the context of Detroit's ongoing urban transformation.
