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Demographic Transition in Bay Street Viaduct Area: From Black Majority to Black Plurality
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
The Bay Street Viaduct Area in Savannah, Georgia, exhibits a distinct demographic profile that has changed significantly over the past decade. As of 2022, this neighborhood is classified as a "Black Plurality" community, with African Americans constituting 47% of the population. The area is characterized by "Moderate Diversity," with notable representation from white (32%) and multiracial (11%) populations. The neighborhood's median income was $11,999 in 2022, which is substantially below the national poverty line. This area is situated near the historic Bay Street Viaduct, an important infrastructure element in Savannah's urban landscape.
Over the past decade, the Bay Street Viaduct Area has experienced a significant transformation in its racial composition. In 2013, the neighborhood was categorized as a "Black Majority" community, with African Americans comprising 60% of the population. By 2022, this had shifted to a "Black Plurality" status, with the African American population decreasing to 47%. This change coincided with an increase in the white population from 27% to 32% and a substantial rise in the multiracial population from 3% to 11%.
The neighborhood has maintained a "Moderate Diversity" classification throughout the decade, but the balance of this diversity has shifted. The increase in the multiracial population and the slight growth in the Asian population (from 0% to 4%) indicate a trend towards greater diversity. This shift could potentially be categorized as a "Transitional Community," particularly given the consistent increase in the multiracial population over the years.
The economic situation in the Bay Street Viaduct Area has shown a gradual improvement over the decade, albeit from an extremely low starting point. The median income has increased from $10,009 in 2013 to $11,999 in 2022, representing a growth of about 20%. However, this improvement has not kept pace with inflation or broader economic growth, leaving the neighborhood still in a state of significant economic distress.
The periods of most rapid income growth coincide with shifts in racial demographics. For example, the sharpest increase in median income occurred between 2017 and 2019, which also saw a notable decrease in the Black population and increases in the Asian and multiracial populations. This suggests a correlation between changing demographics and economic conditions, possibly due to in-migration of higher-income residents from diverse backgrounds.
The demographic shifts observed in the Bay Street Viaduct Area align with broader national trends of increasing diversity in urban areas. However, the extreme poverty levels in this neighborhood stand out even in the context of Savannah, which has a higher poverty rate than the national average. The median household income for Savannah as a whole was approximately $43,000 in 2020, making the Bay Street Viaduct Area's $11,999 median income in 2022 particularly low.
The increase in the multiracial population from 3% to 11% over the decade is higher than national trends. Nationally, the multiracial population grew from about 2.9% in 2010 to 10.2% in 2020, indicating that this neighborhood is experiencing this demographic shift more intensely than the country as a whole.
The Bay Street Viaduct Area represents a community in transition, moving from a predominantly Black neighborhood to one with increasing diversity, particularly in terms of multiracial residents. While there have been modest economic improvements, the persistent extreme poverty in the area suggests that these demographic changes have not yet translated into substantial economic uplift for the community as a whole.
