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Demographic Analysis of Willow Ridge: Low Diversity and High Income
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Willow Ridge, a neighborhood in Parker, Colorado, is characterized by low diversity with a white majority of 91% as of 2022. The area has experienced economic growth over the past decade, with median income increasing from $112,563 in 2013 to $161,790 in 2022. This affluent suburban community is known for its high-quality schools and proximity to outdoor recreational areas.
Throughout the period from 2013 to 2022, Willow Ridge has maintained a racial majority status, with the white population dominating the demographic landscape. The neighborhood showed signs of becoming a transitional community between 2015 and 2019, with the Hispanic population increasing from 9% to 20%. However, post-2019, there was a sharp decline in the Hispanic population to 6%, and a corresponding increase in the white population to 91%, reverting the neighborhood back to a low diversity status.
The demographic shifts correlate with economic trends. Median income has shown consistent growth, rising from $112,563 in 2013 to $170,967 in 2021, before slightly decreasing to $161,790 in 2022. The period of increased diversity (2015-2019) coincided with significant income growth, with median income rising from $113,246 in 2015 to $152,373 in 2019, a 34.5% increase.
The reversion to low diversity status after 2019 occurred alongside continued income growth, with median income reaching its peak in 2021. The trend of increasing income and decreasing diversity post-2019 might indicate a form of suburban gentrification, where rising property values could be pricing out some minority populations.
Despite national economic challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, Willow Ridge has maintained strong income growth, suggesting economic resilience or possibly its status as an enclave for high-income earners. While many urban and suburban areas across the U.S. have been experiencing increased diversity, Willow Ridge's reversion to low diversity status post-2019 stands in contrast to these broader national trends.
Willow Ridge presents a case of a high-income, predominantly white suburban neighborhood that briefly trended towards greater diversity before reverting to a more homogeneous demographic composition. This trend, occurring alongside significant economic growth, raises questions about the interplay between economic development, housing affordability, and demographic diversity in suburban communities.
