Neighborhood Attainment over the Adult Life Course

Abstract

This study uses data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, in conjunction with neighborhood-level data from the U.S. decennial census and American Community Survey, to examine the trajectory of individuals’ neighborhood characteristics from initial household formation into mid-to-late adulthood. Multilevel growth curve models reveal both different starting points and different life-course trajectories for blacks and whites in neighborhood economic status and neighborhood racial composition. Among respondents who first established an independent household during the 1970s, improvement in neighborhood income over the adult life course is substantially greater for whites than for blacks, while the racial difference in the percentage of neighbors who are non-Hispanic white narrows slightly with age. Racial differences in the characteristics of neighborhoods inhabited during adolescence help to explain racial differences in starting points and, to a lesser extent, subsequent trajectories of neighborhood attainment. Residing in an economically advantaged neighborhood during adolescence confers greater subsequent benefits in neighborhood economic status for whites than for blacks. These findings are used to begin developing a life-course perspective on neighborhood attainment.

The Spatial Pattern of Residential Mobility in Guangzhou, China

“…In general, socio‐economic characteristics such as education, occupation and income are incorporated in the statistical models to explain moves across residential space (South and Crowder, ; Clark, ; Clark and Maas, ). Age, education, employment and tenure have been revealed to be significantly related to residential relocation out of deprived areas (Hamnett, ; Bailey and Livingston, ; Clark, ; South et al ., ). In particular, age and homeownership reduce the likelihood of leaving a poor area and of a long‐distance move.…”

“…; South and Crowder, ). The widening income and occupational divides between racial groups — the main drivers of racial inequality in neighborhood attainment in America — seem to predict widening differences in residential flows (South and Crowder, ; South et al ., ). Overall, these models posit that privileged social groups try to distance themselves from disadvantaged ones by residential moves, the end result being a hierarchical ranking of places and racial differences in residential decisions (Alba and Logan, ; South and Crowder, ).…”

Ethnicity and neighbourhood attainment in England and Wales: A study of second generations' spatial integration

“…This research includes not only commonly used variables (age, education, social class, civil status, and presence of children in the household) and socio-economic resources available to individuals during their childhood or early youth (see also Woldoff, 2008;Woldoff & Ovadia, 2009) but also a crucial predictor of neighbourhood attainment: the characteristics of childhood or "origin" neighbourhoods (also recently incorporated in many FIGURE 1 Models of neighbourhood attainment studies, both in the United States, e.g., Swisher, Kuhl, & Chavez, 2013, Sharkey, 2012, South, Huang, Spring, & Crowder, 2016, McDowell, Rootham, & Hardgrove, 2014, and in Europe, e.g., McAvay, 2018, van Ham et al, 2014. Knowing the characteristics of origin neighbourhoods is central to neighbourhood attainment studies because there is a strong relationship between the types of neighbourhoods individuals live in at different points in their lives (see South et al, 2016 who summarise key mechanisms). Most importantly, research also shows how this relationship is very much dependent on race or ethnicity (Sharkey, 2008;South et al, 2016).…”

“…Knowing the characteristics of origin neighbourhoods is central to neighbourhood attainment studies because there is a strong relationship between the types of neighbourhoods individuals live in at different points in their lives (see South et al, 2016 who summarise key mechanisms). Most importantly, research also shows how this relationship is very much dependent on race or ethnicity (Sharkey, 2008;South et al, 2016). Swisher et al (2013) show, for example, that Black and Hispanic groups are more likely to remain in poor areas over time, compared with non-Hispanic Whites: neighbourhood poverty is, therefore, more of a "poverty trap" for these groups.…”

Neighbourhood attainment of children of immigrants in Greater Oslo: Intergenerational inertia and the role of education

“…We also find some recent studies of neighbourhood attainment of young adults that base their definitions of the hierarchy of neighbourhoods on local poverty rates (Gambaro, Joshi, & Lupton, 2017;Ham et al, 2014). Quite a few studies use different measures of the central tendency of the local income distribution (Gustafsson et al, 2017;Sampson, 2012;Sharkey, 2008;South, Huang, Spring, & Crowder, 2016). Composite measures that acknowledge the multidimensional nature of neighbourhood quality and resemble multiple deprivation indices are used (Rosenbaum & Friedman, 2001;White & Sassler, 2000).…”