Demographic Changes Mean a New Suburban American Dream

New Republic reprinted a portion of William Frey's new book, "Diversity Explosion: How New Racial Demographics are Remaking America."

1 minute read

November 26, 2014, 11:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


The passage describes the ongoing, drastic demographic overhaul of suburbs. A few excerpts:

  • "The rise of new minority populations, the sharp slowdown of white population growth, and the economic gains and increased residential freedom of new generations of blacks are rapidly changing the classic image of the suburban American dream."
  • "As recently as 1980, less than one-half of metropolitan minorities resided in the suburbs. Only beginning in 1990 did more than half of metropolitan Asians become suburban residents, while Hispanics did not reach that tipping point until 2000. Moreover, it was not until 2010 that more than half of metropolitan blacks became suburban residents." 
  • "Each of the major minority groups—Hispanics, Asians, and blacks—now contributes more than whites to suburban gains."

While previous coverage about Frey's book focused on its analysis of how the United States will have a "minority majority" by 2050, this excerpted passage goes into detail about how the country's demographic trends are fundamentally changing cities and communities around the country.

Monday, November 24, 2014 in The New Republic

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