01 Affluence
Affluence is the single most important neighborhood discriminator and is
most highly skewed. Affluence includes more than just income – it also
reflects net worth, home ownership, and housing value and size.
02 Family Status
Family status, or household structure, is the second most important
neighborhood differentiator. Ranging from areas populated with lone
householders to married couple families with children, this factor varies
most dramatically over the metropolitan scale.
03 Occupational Status
This factor measures the distinction between blue collar and white-collar
occupations and lifestyles. Suburban, upscale neighborhoods of executives
and professionals are contrasted with the blue-collar neighborhoods of
smaller industrial towns and inner cities.
04 Aging
This important factor correlates highly with both the median age of
residents and the percentage of residents over the age of 65. Residents in
areas with high positive scores are most likely to be retired and receiving
Social Security benefits, and often live alone. Residents in areas with high
negative scores are likely to be young adults, often single, without
children.
05 African-American
Areas with high scores consist of neighborhoods that are predominantly
African-American. This factor tends to vary both at a metropolitan scale and
regionally, with strong concentrations in the deep south and in the
industrial cities of the northeast.
06 Mexican-American
The growth of the largely Mexican origin Hispanic population drives this
increasingly important discriminating factor, which scores highest in the
southwest states bordering Mexico.
07 Housing Style
This factor relates to the continuum of neighborhoods from single-family
dwellings through dense high-rise apartment complexes.
08 Agricultural Dominance
Once the dominant discriminating factor of American life, the farm –
non-farm dichotomy has been minimized with the wave of urbanization during
the last century. High scores tend to occur in the generally rural states of
the upper Great Plains and in the agricultural areas of Central California.
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09 College Campuses
Areas with high scores on this factor are the distinctive
neighborhoods on and around college campuses. These neighborhoods
have a high percentage of young adults who have never been married,
are enrolled in school, and may live in college dormitories.
10 Growth and Stability
Reflects the continuum between areas of rapid growth and change
and stable, older neighborhoods. This factor highlights change
areas both within metropolitan areas and at a national scale.
11 Seasonal Areas
Measuring the degree to which dwellings in the area are
seasonally vacant, this factor is highest in the summer vacation
areas of the Great Lakes and New England, the winter vacation
areas of the Rocky Mountains, and on the non-urban coastlines of
California and Florida.
12 Native American
Reflecting the distribution of Native Americans, this factor
tends to be highest in the plains and southwest states, as well
as Alaska.
13 Asian-American
Areas with high scores consist of neighborhoods that are
predominantly Asian. Geographic variability is both at a
metropolitan scale and regionally, with strong concentrations on
the west coast and Hawaii.
14 Institutional
Areas scoring high on this factor are related to institutional
land use – including both correctional facilities and long term
care hospitals.
15 Language Barriers
Scores on this factor are high in areas where recent immigrants,
often unable to speak English, have settled. Reflecting recent
immigration trends, Spanish tends to be spoken in these
neighborhoods.
16 Military
Areas scoring high on this factor include both military bases
and the nearby youthful and mobile neighborhoods that house
military personnel.
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