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Demographic and Economic Trends in Cragin: A Hispanic Majority Neighborhood in Chicago
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Cragin, a neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, has transformed into a Hispanic Majority community with a median income of $58,716 as of 2022. Over the past decade, the area has shifted from a Moderate Diversity community to its current demographic composition. Cragin is characterized by a combination of residential and light industrial areas, reflecting its history as a working-class neighborhood adapting to economic changes.
In 2013, Cragin was classified as a Moderate Diversity community, with a 76% Hispanic population and an 18% White population. By 2022, the Hispanic population comprised 75% of residents, establishing a Hispanic Majority status. This demographic shift is part of a Transitional Community trend, with the Hispanic population growing from 2013 to 2018, reaching 81% before slightly decreasing to 75% in 2022. Concurrently, the White population gradually declined from 18% in 2013 to 17% in 2022, with some fluctuations during this period.
The Black and Asian populations, although small, have shown slight increases over the decade, potentially indicating the early stages of increasing diversity within the Hispanic Majority framework. These demographic changes correlate with significant economic trends in Cragin. From 2013 to 2022, the median income increased from $44,674 to $58,716, representing a 31.4% growth. This economic improvement coincided with the solidification of the Hispanic Majority status, suggesting a potential link between the growing Hispanic community and economic development in the area.
The population of Cragin has remained relatively stable during this period, fluctuating between approximately 37,000 and 39,000 residents. This stability, combined with rising incomes, may indicate a trend of established residents improving their economic status rather than significant in-migration changing the neighborhood's composition.
The transition of Cragin to a Hispanic Majority neighborhood aligns with broader trends seen in many urban areas across the United States, where Hispanic populations have grown significantly. The economic improvement in Cragin is notable, as the median income growth outpaces the national average for the same period. This suggests that Cragin has experienced more robust economic development than many similar communities across the country.
Despite significant income growth, the 2022 median income of $58,716 in Cragin remains below the national median household income, indicating room for further economic improvement. The stability of the population size, coupled with changing demographics and rising incomes, suggests that Cragin may be experiencing a form of "in-place gentrification," where long-term residents see their economic situations improve rather than being displaced by newcomers.
