Residential segregation of blacks by income group: Evidence from Oakland

Abstract

This paper presents evidence on variation in segregation levels experienced by economic subgroups of blacks in Oakland, California and its surrounding county. The central finding is that in this area, one of the most racially integrated in the USA, higher-income blacks exhibit a substantially higher level of integration with whites than do lower-income blacks. In addition, higher income blacks made more progress toward integration in the 1970s. In the 1980s, however, inequality among blacks declined somewhat as lower middle-income blacks experienced the greatest gains in integration. By 1990, very-high income blacks in Oakland had achieved full integration with whites. While important from a descriptive standpoint, results of this study do not constitute evidence that increased black incomes would eliminate residential segregation. The continued significance of race, even for high-income blacks, is underscored by the finding that their exposure to whites is significantly lower than expected, given the disproportionate presence of whites among high-income households.