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Demographic Transition in Corn Hill: From Black Plurality to White Majority (2013-2022)
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Corn Hill, a neighborhood in Rochester, New York, currently exhibits a White Majority demographic composition with 60% of its population identifying as white in 2022. This neighborhood has undergone significant demographic shifts over the past decade, transitioning from a more diverse community to one with a clearer racial majority. Economically, Corn Hill has experienced moderate fluctuations in median income, with the most recent data showing a median income of $45,171 in 2022.
In 2013, Corn Hill could be categorized as a Majority-Minority community, with the Black population comprising 49% and the white population at 40%. Over the next decade, the neighborhood underwent a significant transition. By 2016, it had shifted to a Moderate Diversity classification, with the white population reaching 50% and the Black population declining to 39%. This trend continued, and by 2019, Corn Hill had become a White Majority community, with the white population reaching 63% while the Black population decreased to 24%.
The Hispanic population showed a gradual increase from 5% in 2013 to 12% in 2020, indicating a growing presence of this demographic. However, this trend reversed slightly in the following years. The Asian population and those identifying as two or more races remained relatively stable, each consistently representing a small percentage of the community. This demographic evolution suggests a pattern of gentrification, with a significant influx of white residents and a concurrent decrease in the Black population.
The median income in Corn Hill has fluctuated over the years, showing a general upward trend despite some volatility. In 2013, the median income was $46,343, which declined to $40,792 in 2018, the lowest point in the available data. However, it rebounded to $48,951 in 2021, the highest point in the decade, before slightly decreasing to $45,171 in 2022. The periods of higher median income generally correspond with years of higher white population percentages, suggesting a potential correlation between the demographic shifts and economic changes.
The population of Corn Hill has remained relatively stable over the decade, fluctuating between about 2,300 and 2,600 residents. This stability in overall population numbers, combined with the significant shifts in racial composition, further supports the idea of demographic replacement rather than overall growth driving the changes.
The demographic shifts observed in Corn Hill align with broader trends of gentrification seen in many urban neighborhoods across the United States. The pattern of increasing white population and decreasing Black population, coupled with rising median incomes, is characteristic of gentrifying areas in cities like New York, Washington D.C., and Chicago. However, Corn Hill's changes appear more dramatic than national averages. While the U.S. as a whole has been slowly becoming more diverse, Corn Hill has moved in the opposite direction, transitioning from a Majority-Minority community to a White Majority one in less than a decade.
The economic fluctuations in Corn Hill, while generally upward, have been more volatile than national trends. This volatility could reflect the neighborhood's sensitivity to local economic conditions and the impact of its changing demographics on local businesses and property values. In conclusion, Corn Hill presents a case study of rapid demographic transition and its economic correlates, offering insights into the complex interplay between race, economics, and urban development in American cities.
