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Demographic Shifts in Bel-Aire: From Moderate Diversity to White Majority
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Bel-Aire, a neighborhood in Norfolk, Virginia, has undergone significant demographic changes over the past decade. In 2013, Bel-Aire exhibited moderate diversity with a 58% White majority and a 37% Black population. By 2022, the neighborhood had transitioned to a more pronounced White majority of 73%, while the Black population decreased to 16%. This shift coincided with an increase in median income from $61,059 in 2013 to $79,733 in 2022, representing a 30.6% increase.
The Asian population in Bel-Aire experienced fluctuations, reaching a peak of 13% in 2017-2019 before declining to 1% in 2022. The Hispanic population remained relatively stable, ranging between 5-9% throughout most of the period. A new category of 'Two or More Races' emerged at 4% in 2022, indicating a trend towards multiracial identities or families in the neighborhood.
The most significant income increase occurred between 2019 and 2021, with median income rising from $76,957 to $87,596, a nearly 14% increase in two years. This period coincided with the neighborhood reaching its highest percentage of white residents at 80% in 2021. Concurrently, the population of Bel-Aire decreased from 580 in 2013 to 360 in 2022, suggesting potential gentrification processes.
The trends observed in Bel-Aire align with broader patterns of gentrification seen in many urban areas across the United States. The combination of increasing median income, decreasing diversity, and a shrinking population often indicates neighborhood "upgrading" that can displace long-term residents. Bel-Aire's transformation appears more pronounced compared to Norfolk as a whole, which has historically been more diverse.
The rapid income growth in Bel-Aire, particularly from 2019 to 2021, outpaced national averages for the same period. This suggests that Bel-Aire may have been resilient to the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic or benefited from broader economic trends that favored higher-income households during this time.
In conclusion, Bel-Aire has transformed significantly over the past decade, evolving from a moderately diverse community to a more homogeneous, higher-income neighborhood. This change reflects broader urban trends but appears more pronounced in this specific area, suggesting targeted development or gentrification processes that have reshaped the community's demographic and economic landscape.
