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Summit Lake: A Black Majority Neighborhood in Akron, Ohio
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
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Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Summit Lake, a neighborhood in Akron, Ohio, exhibits a Black Majority demographic profile with 54% of its population identified as Black in 2022. The area has a median income of $25,551 as of 2022. Summit Lake has a body of water that serves as a focal point for community activities and environmental initiatives.
Over the past decade, Summit Lake has maintained its status as a Black Majority neighborhood, with the Black population percentage remaining between 50-55% from 2013 to 2022. The White population has shown a slight decline from 33% in 2013 to 31% in 2022. There has been a gradual increase in racial diversity, particularly in the Two or More Races category, which rose from 5% in 2013 to 9% in 2022.
The median income in Summit Lake has increased from $17,331 in 2013 to $25,551 in 2022, representing a 47% increase over nine years. The population has decreased from 4,217 in 2013 to 3,194 in 2022, a 24% decline.
The persistent Black Majority status of Summit Lake contrasts with broader national trends of increasing racial diversity in urban areas. However, the gradual increase in multiracial residents aligns with national patterns of growing multiracial populations.
The economic growth in Summit Lake places the neighborhood below the median household income for Akron, which was approximately $40,000 in 2020. This suggests that Summit Lake continues to face economic challenges relative to its broader urban context.
The population decline in Summit Lake may be part of a larger trend affecting Rust Belt cities like Akron, which have faced economic restructuring and population shifts in recent decades. The simultaneous increase in median income could indicate a complex process of neighborhood change, potentially involving both economic improvement for some residents and displacement for others.
Summit Lake presents a picture of a predominantly Black neighborhood experiencing slow but steady economic improvement and gradual diversification, while also facing challenges related to population retention. These trends reflect both local dynamics and broader patterns of urban change in post-industrial American cities.
