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Park Duvalle: A Predominantly African American Neighborhood in Louisville
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Park Duvalle, a neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky, exhibits a low diversity demographic profile with a strong racial majority of African Americans. As of 2022, the neighborhood's population is 4,161, with a median income of $27,145. This area was part of the Hope VI urban revitalization project, which aimed to transform public housing communities into mixed-income neighborhoods.
Throughout the analyzed period (2013-2022), Park Duvalle has consistently maintained its status as a low diversity community with a racial majority of African Americans. The percentage of Black residents has remained above 90% throughout this period, with a slight increase from 91% in 2013 to 94% in 2022. This stability in racial composition suggests a deeply rooted African American community.
There are subtle signs of a potential transitional community emerging. The percentage of residents identifying as two or more races increased from 0% in 2013 to 2% in 2022, and a small Hispanic population (1%) appeared in recent years. These changes could indicate the beginning of a gradual diversification process.
The median income in Park Duvalle has shown fluctuations over the years, with an overall increasing trend. From $24,417 in 2013, it rose to $33,093 in 2021 before decreasing to $27,145 in 2022. This represents an overall increase of about 11% over the decade, despite the recent decrease.
The population has remained relatively stable, with some fluctuations. It decreased from 4,201 in 2013 to 3,952 in 2020, but then rebounded to 4,161 in 2022. This stability, combined with the increasing median income, suggests a gradually improving economic situation for the existing community rather than significant demographic turnover.
The persistent racial homogeneity of Park Duvalle contrasts with broader national trends towards increasing diversity in urban areas. Many U.S. cities have experienced growing racial and ethnic diversity over the past decade, particularly with increases in Hispanic and multiracial populations. Park Duvalle's slower pace of diversification might be attributed to its history as a predominantly African American neighborhood and the legacy of historical housing segregation in many American cities.
The neighborhood's median income, while showing improvement, remains significantly below the national median household income (which was around $70,784 in 2021). This income disparity is common in many historically underserved urban neighborhoods across the United States.
The stability in population, coupled with gradual income improvements, suggests that the Hope VI project may have had some positive impact on the neighborhood's economic conditions. However, the persistence of lower incomes compared to national averages indicates that challenges remain in fully realizing the goals of mixed-income community development.
Park Duvalle presents a picture of a stable, predominantly African American community showing signs of slow economic improvement and the very early stages of increased diversity. While the neighborhood has not undergone dramatic demographic shifts, the subtle changes observed may signal the beginning of a longer-term transition towards greater diversity and economic development.
