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Demographic Shifts in Southside Slopes: A Study of Racial Composition and Economic Trends
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Southside Slopes, a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is categorized as a Low Diversity community with a White Majority, with 82% of its population identifying as white in 2022. The neighborhood has experienced demographic shifts over the past decade, along with changes in median income. Southside Slopes is located on steep hillsides overlooking downtown Pittsburgh, providing views of the city skyline and the Monongahela River.
From 2013 to 2022, Southside Slopes has maintained its status as a White Majority community. The white population percentage decreased from 87% in 2013 to 82% in 2022. This change indicates a slow trend towards increased diversity, although the neighborhood remains in the Low Diversity category.
The Black and Hispanic populations have shown the most significant changes. The Black population increased from 3% in 2013 to 15% in 2020, then decreased to 8% in 2022. The Hispanic population grew from 1% in 2013 to 5% in 2022. These changes suggest that Southside Slopes may be slowly transitioning towards a Moderate Diversity classification.
The median income in Southside Slopes has increased overall, rising from $37,858 in 2013 to $48,951 in 2022, an increase of approximately 29%. This growth in median income correlates with the gradual increase in diversity. The median income peaked at $52,150 in 2019 before declining during the COVID-19 pandemic. This decline coincided with a slight reversal in the diversity trend, with the white population percentage increasing from 76% in 2020 to 82% in 2022.
The population of Southside Slopes has decreased from 4,726 in 2013 to 4,064 in 2022, a decline of about 14%. This population decrease, combined with income growth and slight diversity increase, may indicate a gentrification process.
Southside Slopes remains less diverse than Pittsburgh as a whole. As of the 2020 census, Pittsburgh's population was approximately 64.7% white, 23.0% Black, and 3.4% Hispanic. The median household income in Pittsburgh was $50,536 in 2020, which is slightly higher than Southside Slopes' 2020 median income of $47,598.
Southside Slopes is experiencing a slow transition towards greater diversity and higher incomes, potentially indicating the early stages of gentrification. It remains a predominantly white, low-diversity neighborhood compared to Pittsburgh as a whole. Future years will determine whether these trends continue, potentially shifting the neighborhood towards a Moderate Diversity classification, or if it will maintain its current demographic composition.
