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Demographic Analysis of Zion City: A Predominantly African American Neighborhood
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Loading Content...
Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Zion City, a neighborhood in Merrydale, Louisiana, exhibits a Low Diversity community with a clear Racial Majority. As of 2022, the neighborhood is 98% Black, indicating a predominant African American presence. This demographic composition has remained stable over the past decade, with minor fluctuations. Economically, Zion City faces challenges, with a median income of $35,391 in 2022, below the national average. The neighborhood is characterized by a strong African American cultural identity and likely encounters socioeconomic challenges common to many predominantly Black urban areas in the Southern United States.
Throughout the decade from 2013 to 2022, Zion City has maintained its status as a Low Diversity community with a Black Racial Majority. The percentage of Black residents has increased from 95% in 2013 to 98% in 2022, suggesting a slight consolidation of the African American community in the area. The white population has decreased from 2% to 1% over this period. Other racial groups have maintained minimal representation, with Hispanic residents only appearing in the data from 2021 onward at 1%. This demographic stability indicates that Zion City has not experienced significant racial integration or diversification over the past decade.
The economic trajectory of Zion City has been predominantly negative over the observed period. Median income has declined from $46,458 in 2013 to $35,391 in 2022, representing a 23.8% decrease. This downward trend in income correlates with the increasing racial homogeneity, suggesting potential economic challenges facing the predominantly African American community. Despite the economic downturn, the population has grown from 12,221 in 2013 to 12,800 in 2022, an increase of about 4.7%. This population growth, coupled with declining incomes, might indicate an influx of lower-income residents or economic pressures on existing residents.
The demographic stability and economic decline in Zion City reflect broader trends seen in many predominantly African American urban communities across the United States, particularly in the South. The persistence of racial segregation and the correlation with economic challenges are consistent with national patterns of racial wealth gaps and concentrated poverty in minority neighborhoods.
The median income decline in Zion City is more severe than national trends, which have generally shown modest growth over the same period. This suggests that Zion City is facing particularly acute economic pressures, possibly related to local industry changes, limited economic opportunities, or broader systemic issues affecting predominantly Black communities.
The population growth despite economic challenges could indicate limited housing mobility for residents, possibly due to affordable housing availability in the area compared to surrounding regions, or strong community ties keeping people in the neighborhood despite economic pressures.
Zion City presents a case of a highly stable, low-diversity community with a strong Black majority, facing significant and worsening economic challenges. This stability in racial composition coupled with economic decline highlights the complex interplay between racial demographics and economic outcomes in urban American neighborhoods.
