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Demographic Shifts and Racial Composition in Old Commons, Beaufort: A Decade of Change
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
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Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Old Commons, a neighborhood in Beaufort, South Carolina, has experienced significant demographic changes from 2013 to 2022. The area transitioned from a moderately diverse community to one with low diversity and a strong white majority. This shift coincided with fluctuations in median income and overall population decline.
In 2013, Old Commons had moderate diversity with a population split of 54% white and 45% black residents. By 2022, the neighborhood had transformed to a low diversity profile with 87% white residents. This transition was not linear, with brief periods of more balanced racial composition in 2017 and 2018. The Hispanic population, while small, showed some presence between 2017 and 2021 but disappeared in the 2022 data.
The demographic shifts correlated with changes in median income. In 2013, the median income was $54,788. As the white population percentage increased, there was a general upward trend in median income, reaching $78,577 in 2022. However, this trend experienced fluctuations, with a notable dip to $52,326 in 2017. The most significant increase in median income occurred between 2019 and 2020, coinciding with the sharpest increase in the white population percentage.
Population figures indicate a general decline over the decade, from 157 in 2013 to 93 in 2022. This suggests that the demographic shifts may be partly due to outmigration of non-white residents rather than a large influx of white residents.
The trend towards decreased diversity and increased median income in Old Commons aligns with broader patterns of gentrification seen in many historic, waterfront neighborhoods across the United States. The sharp increase in the white population percentage and median income between 2019 and 2020 could be related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw affluent individuals moving to less densely populated areas with natural amenities.
The extreme shift in racial demographics, from 45% black in 2013 to 13% in 2022, is more pronounced than typical gentrification patterns, suggesting local factors may be at play. These could include targeted real estate development, changes in local housing policies, or shifts in the regional economy that disproportionately affected different racial groups.
The economic resilience of the neighborhood, maintaining a high median income even through the pandemic years, contrasts with many areas that saw economic downturns. This suggests that Old Commons may have become an increasingly desirable location for high-income residents, potentially pricing out lower-income and minority residents over time.
