Foreign Born Population Concentration and Neighborhood Growth and Development within U.S. Metropolitan Areas

• In Event: 189 - Section on Community and Urban Sociology Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 06. Immigration and New Diversity

Abstract

Immigrant populations are a major driver of growth in many U.S. metropolitan areas, and considerable research has focused on the effects of immigrant populations on neighborhood outcomes. However, much of this research has targeted foreign-born population growth in the traditional “immigrant gateway” cities, which tend to have large extant foreign-born populations. This research uses tract-level data from the 2000 Decennial Census and the 2009-2013 American Community Survey to explore the spatial concentration of the foreign-born population within the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. Spatial regression models are used to identify the neighborhood characteristics that predict future growth in a neighborhood’s foreign-born population. In addition, the effects of a neighborhood’s initial foreign-born concentration on future neighborhood income and population growth are investigated. Consistent with previous work, our results indicate that foreign-born populations of all races tend to move toward existing same-group neighborhood population clusters. All of the immigrant minority racial groups are also attracted to neighborhoods with existing same-race U.S.-born populations. Overall population growth is positively associated with the initial presence of the white and Asian immigrant population; black and Hispanic immigrant concentrations are associated with population loss. While immigrants do not contribute to neighborhood income growth, a greater presence of immigrants – relative to their U.S.-born co-racial group – is associated with lower rates of neighborhood income decline.

Authors

• Matt Ruther, University of Colorado

• Rebbeca Tesfai, Temple University

• Janice Madden, University of Pennsylvania