Citation URL: http://www.urban.org/MatthewRVanderGoot

This analysis uses census tract-level data to measure the segregation of the poor in large U.S. metropolitan areas in 1970, 1980, and 1990. Two measures of segregation are used—the indices of dissimilarity and isolation. The report begins with a description of these two indices and the data used for the analysis. The subsequent discussion presents a cross-sectional analysis of the isolation of the poor in the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas in 1990. The next section covers how segregation of the poor changed from 1970 to 1990 in these areas, and finally the report summarizes the findings of the analysis.

The starting point for developing a housing strategy is a systematic analysis of the local housing market. This report analyzes housing conditions and needs in five prototype jurisdictions using 1990 Census data contained in the CHAS database. Its purpose is threefold: First, it illustrates a range of housing market conditions and needs. Second, it illustrates ways in which communities may describe and analyze their local markets. Finally, by using metropolitan areas as prototypes, it stresses the needs of looking at the entire housing market to understand the causes of problems and to develop strategies for addressing them.

Return to list of authors