Brightwood: Mapping a neighborhood’s changes
By hola | Published | No Comments
More affluent young families moving in, Latinos moving out
In Washington D.C.’s historically black Brightwood neighborhood, the Latino presence grew gradually over the years, as longtime residents moved out and the small white population remained largely unchanged. Starting around 2013, however, U.S. Census data shows a shift in neighborhood demographics. More whites and higher-earning young people of all races and ethnicities had discovered the Northwest Washington neighborhood.
The trend visible in the data was reflected, as well, in the Washington Post‘s coverage of young families looking to purchase homes in Brightwood, one of the “final frontiers” in relatively affordable D.C. real estate. Low housing cost is largely the same reason the Latino population had moved into Brightwood years before, as the historic Black population in the neighborhood began selling their homes and presumably moving to the suburbs.
Our study area
The Brightwood neighborhood, like many neighborhoods, has disputed boundaries. We used boundaries recognized by the Brightwood Community Association: 16th St NW (west, although the maps reflect the block group boundary at 14th St NW), Kennedy St NW (south), Georgia Ave NW (east), Aspen St NW (north).
Comparing median ages
From these maps, the Latino population is by far the youngest. The Black population is aging, while the newer, younger Latino population is dominated by families with young children and young adults often referred to as members of the millennial generation. In general, older people cluster in the northwest corner of Brightwood, closer to the amenities of the suburbs.
Race, ethnicity, income, and housing stability in Brightwood
The average Latino resident of Washington’s Brightwood neighborhood tends to be younger, less wealthy, and more likely to rent than own a home, compared to the average resident of the neighborhood, according to 2014 Census data.
This puts the neighborhood’s Latinos at greater risk of housing instability as gentrification that started propelling Latinos out of central D.C. decades ago continues to move up the 16th St NW corridor.
Median income by race & ethnicity
Latino median household income is also lower than the total population. This fact, along with the lower median age, suggests that Latinos living in Brightwood include many young, working-class families.
The lower median income gives the Latinos less bargaining power to negotiate rent prices and capacity to purchase a home. Although the White population is small, its much higher median income gives white residents more housing security than their Latino neighbors.
Who rents and where?
Latinos in Brightwood also rent in greater numbers than the total population. This makes sense when taking into account their age and income. Younger and poorer people are two groups that experts say are more likely to rent.
Being renters could make the Latino population more susceptible to gentrification, because they may have to move once the rent gets too high. Home ownership can serve as an extra layer of housing protection as “gentrification” propels neighborhood rents higher.
About our research
We used demographic data from the American Community Survey (ACS), an ongoing survey throughout the country that supplements the decennial census. Within the neighborhood we chose to collect data by census block group, the most specific data available while keeping in mind the higher margin of error.
Block groups are the areas that make up a census tract and have 600-3,000 people. Census tracts are “relatively permanent” divisions of 2,500-8,000 people. In order to get the most accurate picture of the neighborhood possible, we used only the block groups that had the majority of their area within the Brightwood neighborhood.
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