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East Parkside Neighborhood: A Study of Racial Demographics and Economic Trends
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
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Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
East Parkside, a neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is characterized as a Black Majority community with Low Diversity. As of 2022, the African American population constitutes 85% of the residents. The neighborhood's median income in 2022 is $16,650, indicating economic challenges. East Parkside is located adjacent to Fairmount Park, one of the largest urban park systems in the United States.
Over the past decade, East Parkside has maintained its status as a Black Majority community. From 2013 to 2017, the neighborhood experienced a slight increase in the Black population, reaching 91% in 2017. After 2017, there has been a gradual decline in the Black majority, decreasing to 85% by 2022. In 2021, the Black population briefly dropped to 78%, but this trend reversed in 2022. These changes suggest a slow trend towards increased diversity, though the community remains in the Low Diversity category.
The median income in East Parkside has fluctuated over the decade. It reached its lowest point of $13,285 in 2015 and peaked at $17,707 in 2019. Since then, there has been a slight decline, settling at $16,650 in 2022. The periods of highest income (2019-2020) coincide with a slight decrease in the Black majority percentage, suggesting a potential correlation between increased diversity and economic improvement. However, the overall low income levels indicate persistent economic challenges.
Population trends show a peak in 2016-2017 at approximately 3,500 residents, followed by a steady decline to 2,529 in 2022. This population decrease, coupled with the slight diversification, may indicate changing neighborhood dynamics.
East Parkside's maintenance of its Black Majority status occurs within a broader context of increasing diversity and gentrification in many urban areas across the U.S. The slight increase in diversity in East Parkside aligns with broader national trends of changing urban demographics. However, the persistent low income levels in the neighborhood contrast with the general trend of rising incomes in gentrifying urban areas.
The proximity to Fairmount Park could potentially attract development interest that could accelerate demographic changes in the future.
East Parkside shows signs of gradual diversification and economic fluctuations, but remains a predominantly Black, low-income neighborhood. Future years will determine whether these subtle shifts develop into more significant demographic and economic changes, or if the community will maintain its current character in the face of broader urban trends.
