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Pine Grove, Mobile: A Study of Racial Majority Shift and Economic Decline
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Pine Grove, a neighborhood in Mobile, Alabama, has undergone significant demographic changes from 2013 to 2022. The area transitioned from a moderately diverse community to one with a racial majority. In 2013, the neighborhood had a nearly even split between Black (45%) and White (49%) residents. By 2022, the Black population increased to 81%, establishing a clear racial majority.
Concurrent with these demographic shifts, Pine Grove experienced a substantial decline in median income. The median income decreased from $51,965 in 2013 to $25,290 in 2022, representing a reduction of more than half. This economic downturn coincides with the increasing concentration of Black residents in the neighborhood.
The population of Pine Grove has fluctuated over the years. A notable increase occurred from 878 residents in 2019 to 1,369 in 2022. This population growth, combined with the decrease in median income, suggests a possible influx of lower-income residents or economic challenges affecting the existing population.
The Hispanic population in Pine Grove has remained consistently small, never exceeding 4% throughout the decade. Other racial groups, including Asian, Native American, and Pacific Islander, have had minimal representation in the neighborhood during this period.
The trends observed in Pine Grove are significant. The rapid shift towards a predominant Black majority and the simultaneous decline in median income could indicate broader socio-economic forces. These may include potential gentrification in other parts of Mobile, leading to displacement and concentration of lower-income, predominantly Black residents in Pine Grove.
Economic challenges specific to the local area, such as loss of major employers or industry shifts, may have disproportionately affected the Black community. The changes in Pine Grove may also reflect broader national trends of increasing racial segregation in some urban and suburban areas, coupled with growing income inequality.
The evolution of Pine Grove from a moderately diverse community to one with a strong racial majority, accompanied by significant economic decline, underscores the importance of understanding and addressing the interconnected nature of race and economics in urban planning and community development.
