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Demographic and Economic Trends in Kingsway West: A Study of a Black Majority Neighborhood
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Kingsway West, a neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri, exhibits a Low Diversity demographic profile with a Black Majority. As of 2022, 90% of the population identifies as Black, while the median income is $38,091. The neighborhood has experienced economic changes over the past decade, with an increase in median income despite population decline. Kingsway West has historical significance in St. Louis's urban development and has been part of community revitalization efforts in recent years.
Throughout the analyzed period (2013-2022), Kingsway West has maintained its status as a Low Diversity neighborhood with a Black Majority. The Black population percentage has slightly decreased from 97% in 2013 to 90% in 2022. There has been an increase in the White population, from 3% in 2013 to 6% in 2022. A multiracial category emerged from 0% in 2013 to 3% in 2022, suggesting a gradual trend towards increased diversity. These changes indicate a slow transition towards slightly increased diversity.
The economic landscape of Kingsway West has undergone changes. The median income has increased from $22,381 in 2013 to $38,091 in 2022, representing a 70% growth. The neighborhood has experienced a population decline from 2,817 in 2013 to 2,132 in 2022, a decrease of about 24%. The inverse relationship between rising incomes and declining population suggests a possible gentrification process or economic restructuring within the neighborhood.
The increase in median income in Kingsway West outpaces many national averages for income growth over the same period, suggesting a rapid economic transformation. The persistent Black Majority in Kingsway West contrasts with national trends of increasing diversity in urban areas, indicating that this neighborhood has maintained its cultural identity despite economic changes. The population decline in Kingsway West aligns with broader trends seen in some urban core areas of older industrial cities, where suburban growth and urban renewal projects have led to shifts in population distribution.
Kingsway West presents a case of a neighborhood undergoing economic uplift while largely maintaining its racial composition. The challenge for local policymakers and community leaders will be to ensure that the economic benefits are inclusive and that the neighborhood's cultural identity is preserved amidst these changes. The gradual increase in diversity may signal the beginning of a longer-term demographic shift that could reshape the neighborhood's character in the coming decades.
