GOV
Residential Segregation
The percentage of residents that live in racially segregated census tracts in the City of St. Louis
28% of St. Louis residents live in highly racially segregated neighborhoods.
A score of 100 represents racial equity, meaning there are no racial disparities in outcomes. The lower the Equity Score, the greater the disparity.
For Residential Segregation, a score of 100 — a score reflecting racial equity — would mean no city residents live in racially segregated neighborhoods.
More Information
What does this indicator measure?
Residential Segregation measures the percentage of residents that live in racially segregated census tracts in the City of St. Louis. Racially segregated census tracts are census tracts in which the population is either more than 90% black or more than 90% white.
Residential Segregation analysis
Residents that live in census tracts more than 90% black or white in St. Louis City.
| All | Equity Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents of segregated census tracts | 87,042 | - |
| Population | 316,030 | - |
| Percent of population that resides in segregated census tracts | 27.5% | 72 |
Data Source: American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2012-2016.
Data Note: While there are differences in the prevalence of residential segregation by race, Equity Indicators has chosen to use overall levels of segregation as the indicator to better align with goal setting. It is not desirable to have equal levels of segregation amongst black and white residents. Rather, St. Louis should have no residents living in extremely segregated neighborhoods.
What does this analysis mean?
In St. Louis, 87,042 residents who live in racially segregated census tracts. This means 28% of residents are unlikely to have neighbors that are people of races other than their own.
Segregated Census Tracts analysis
Census tracts where the population is more than 90% black or white in St. Louis City.
| Count of Tracts | Black Population | White Population | Other Population | Total Population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Segregated-black census tracts (Population >90% black) | 33 | 70,010 | 1,395 | 1,308 | 72,713 |
| Segregated-white census tracts (Population >90% white) | 4 | 272 | 13,480 | 577 | 14,329 |
| Segregated census tracts | 37 | 70,282 | 14,875 | 1,885 | 87,042 |
| % of residents that live in segregated census tracts | - | 46.6% | 11.0% | 6.3% | 27.5% |
Data Source: American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2012-2016.
Black residents are more than four times as likely as white residents to live in segregated census tracts. Of all residents that live in segregated census tracts, 80.7% are black.
Why does Residential Segregation matter?
Residential segregation, in relationship to civic engagement, is a measure of residents’ ability to connect with residents of other races as neighbors. In addition, it is a measure of St. Louis’ recovery from the long lasting negative impacts of government-enforced housing segregation. According to Health Equity Works' recent report Segregation in St. Louis, regulatory tools used to ensure racial segregation in St. Louis included racial zoning, restricted deed covenants, and redlining. The report summarized the effects of segregation well:
"One of [racial] segregation's most powerful impacts on health is its tendency to produce concentrated areas of urban poverty... These highly segregated areas of concentrated poverty often lack access to municipal services, basic amenities like grocery stores, other retail, banks, and proximity to job opportunities. Educational resources also tend to be limited…"
Not only does where someone lives affect their quality of life, it also changes their experience of institutions, from policing to education. Residential segregation creates barriers towards achieving a shared understanding of the challenges we face as a community.
Which Calls to Action from the Ferguson Commission report are linked with this indicator?
There are no Calls to Action from the Ferguson Commission focused on decreasing residential segregation.
Questions for further investigation
- What can St. Louis do to reduce Residential Segregation?
- What initiatives are currently underway to reduce Residential Segregation?
How can I learn more about this issue?
In 2018, For the Sake of All (now Health Equity Works) released its report Segregation in St. Louis, which summarizes the history and impacts of segregation on the St. Louis region.
