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Demographic Transition in Leisure Lanes: From White Majority to Increasing Diversity
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
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Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
The Leisure Lanes neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, exhibits a demographic profile categorized as a "White Majority" community, with 59% of the population identifying as white in 2022. The neighborhood has shown signs of increasing diversity over the past decade. The area has experienced fluctuations in median income, with a notable increase in recent years. Leisure Lanes is known for its bowling alley, which has been a local landmark for decades.
Over the past decade, Leisure Lanes has transitioned from a "Low Diversity" community to one approaching "Moderate Diversity." In 2013, the neighborhood was categorized as "White Majority" with 69% of the population identifying as white. By 2022, the percentage had decreased to 59%. This shift is accompanied by increases in other racial groups, particularly the Black and Hispanic populations.
The Black population increased from 7% in 2013 to 18% in 2022, while the Hispanic population grew from 11% to 13% over the same period, peaking at 20% in 2020. This trend suggests that Leisure Lanes is becoming a "Transitional Community," with increasing racial diversity over time.
The median income in Leisure Lanes has shown volatility over the past decade. From 2013 to 2022, there was an overall increase from $25,814 to $46,597, representing a growth of about 80%. This growth was not linear. The neighborhood experienced a significant increase in median income between 2015 and 2017, followed by a decline until 2020, and then another sharp increase in 2022.
The economic fluctuations appear to correlate with the demographic shifts. As the community became more diverse, particularly between 2015 and 2017, there was a notable increase in median income. This could suggest that the influx of new residents brought economic opportunities or reflected broader economic improvements in the area.
The demographic changes in Leisure Lanes reflect broader national trends of increasing diversity in urban and suburban areas. Many U.S. cities have experienced similar transitions, with traditionally white-majority neighborhoods becoming more diverse over time. The economic volatility seen in Leisure Lanes, particularly the sharp increase in median income in recent years, may reflect broader economic trends in Tulsa or Oklahoma as a whole.
The neighborhood has become more diverse at a gradual rate. This suggests a relatively stable community undergoing organic demographic shifts rather than rapid gentrification or displacement.
Leisure Lanes represents a community in transition, moving from low to moderate diversity while experiencing significant economic changes. The interplay between demographic shifts and economic fluctuations presents a complex picture of a neighborhood adapting to broader societal changes while maintaining its core identity, symbolized by its long-standing bowling alley.
