RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION OF BLACKS BY INCOME GROUP - EVIDENCE FROM OAKLAND

This paper presents evidence on variation in segregation levels experi enced by economic subgroups of blacks in Oakland, California and its s urrounding county. The central finding is that in this area, one of th e most racially integrated in the USA, higher-income blacks exhibit a substantially higher level of integration with whites than do lower-in come blacks. In addition, higher income blacks made more progress towa rd integration in the 1970s. In the 1980s, however, inequality among b lacks declined somewhat as lower middle-income blacks experienced the greatest gains in integration. By 1990, very-high income blacks in Oak land had achieved full integration with whites. While important from a descriptive standpoint, results of this study do not constitute evide nce that increased black incomes would eliminate residential segregati on. The continued significance of race, even for high-income blacks, i s underscored by the finding that their exposure to whites is signific antly lower than expected, given the disproportionate presence of whit es among high-income households.