The Persistence of White Flight in Suburban America

• In Event: 231 - Section on Sociology of Population Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 07. Special Topics in U.S. Socio-Demographic Patterns and Inequalities

Abstract

For the first time in American history, the majority of minority residents living in large metropolitan areas today now reside in suburban areas. These demographic shifts reflect the continued growth of the minority middle class and confirm the steady impact of new streams of immigration, which have allowed today's immigrants to bypass traditional destinations and settle directly into suburban neighborhoods. In this paper, we argue that these shifts allow for a more robust assessment of the white flight phenomenon. By examining ethnic population growth in generally more affluent suburban socioeconomic contexts, we can "hold constant" many of the suspected confounds that have plagued past research. Preliminary findings confirm that suburban neighborhoods in America's 150 largest metropolitan areas have indeed seen tremendous growth of diverse neighborhoods. However, even among suburban neighborhoods, white flight continues to be strongly driven by an increased representation of non-white residents. Additional analyses that compare the effects of racial composition between disadvantaged and advantaged neighborhoods suggest that white flight remains active across all suburban neighborhood contexts, irrespective of socioeconomic context.

Authors

• Samuel Hoon Kye, Indiana University-Bloomington

• Andrew Halpern-Manners, Indiana University