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Woodfield, Atlanta: A Study of Racial Homogeneity in an Affluent Neighborhood
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
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Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Woodfield, a neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia, exhibits a Low Diversity profile with a White Majority, as 98% of its population identifies as white in 2022. The neighborhood has a median income of $199,999, placing it among the wealthiest neighborhoods in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Woodfield is known for its historic homes and tree-lined streets, contributing to its reputation as one of Atlanta's most desirable residential areas.
Over the past decade, Woodfield has consistently maintained its status as a Low Diversity neighborhood with a White Majority. From 2013 to 2019, there was a slight trend towards Moderate Diversity, with the white population decreasing from 95% to 90%, and small increases in Asian, Black, and Hispanic populations. The year 2019 saw the highest level of diversity, with 90% white, 3% Asian, 3% Hispanic, and 1% Black residents. Post-2019, there was a reversal of this trend, with the white population increasing to 98% by 2022, reinforcing its Low Diversity status.
The economic trajectory of Woodfield has been consistently upward. Median income rose from $180,289 in 2013 to $200,000 in 2019, a 10.9% increase. Since 2019, the median income has remained stable at $199,999, indicating a plateau at a very high income level. The population has remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 300 and 330 residents throughout the decade.
The correlation between demographic and economic trends is noteworthy. The period of slightly increased diversity (2013-2019) coincided with the rise in median income. The stabilization of income at a high level post-2019 occurred alongside the return to a more homogeneous racial composition.
Woodfield's demographic and economic trends stand in contrast to broader patterns in Atlanta and the nation. While many urban areas have experienced increasing diversity, Woodfield has maintained its predominantly white population. The median household income in Atlanta was approximately $64,179 in 2021, less than a third of Woodfield's median income. Nationally, there has been a trend towards increasing racial diversity in affluent neighborhoods, but Woodfield appears to be an exception to this pattern.
The neighborhood's ability to maintain such high income levels and low diversity in a major metropolitan area like Atlanta is unusual. This suggests that Woodfield may be a particularly exclusive enclave, possibly with specific zoning or community practices that have preserved its demographic and economic characteristics over time.
Woodfield presents a case of a highly affluent, racially homogeneous neighborhood that has largely resisted the diversification trends seen in many other urban areas. Its economic stability and slight increase in wealth over the decade, coupled with its reversion to an even more pronounced White Majority, indicate that it remains a distinctively exclusive community within the diverse landscape of Atlanta.
