US Segregation Maps

Visualizing U.S. Segregation Through Interactive Maps

Census Dots is an interactive map of 2020 U.S. census data. On the map, millions of colored dots each represent one individual. The colors indicate the race or ethnicity that individuals identified with in the 2020 Census. Although the map does not mention this explicitly, most census dot maps randomize the locations of dots within each census area for privacy.

Using this map, you can zoom in on any city to observe how segregated many American communities remain. To understand the historical context of this segregation, you can compare cities on the Census Dots map with historical redlining maps from the University of Richmond's Mapping Inequality:

Redlining in New Deal America.

Oakland California

In the image above, the redlining map of Oakland appears side by side with its Census Dot map. The red areas on the redlining map represent neighborhoods classified as "Hazardous" or "Type D." These were deemed the riskiest neighborhoods for investment and were effectively "redlined." Historically, the "Hazardous" category was often assigned to areas predominantly inhabited by Black or other "non-white" populations.

In the 2020 Census, these same neighborhoods show high densities of Black residents, according to the Census Dots map. By contrast, the green areas on the redlining maps represent neighborhoods deemed "Best" or "Type A" by redlining inspectors in the 1930s. These neighborhoods were primarily reserved for White residents. Today, according to the census, these "best" neighborhoods remain predominantly White.

Greater Seattle

The blue areas on redlining maps indicate "Still Desirable" or "Type B" neighborhoods. These areas were typically assigned to middle-class or upper-middle-class White residents.

Meanwhile, areas marked as yellow on the redlining maps - classified as "Definitely Declining" or "Type C" - represented working-class neighborhoods. These areas were often viewed as likely to "deteriorate" further and were generally excluded from favorable mortgage lending practices.

Dallas, Texas

The 1930s redlining map of Dallas shows that the "Best" (green) neighborhoods were primarily located in the northern part of the city. According to the 2020 Census Dots map, these northern neighborhoods are now predominantly White.

Redlining maps, officially known as Residential Security Maps, were created by the Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) in the 1930s in the United States. These maps were used to assess the risk of mortgage lending in different neighborhoods. The colors assigned to areas indicated their "security" for investment, which was influenced by racial, ethnic, and economic factors, leading to systemic discrimination.

In this post I have compared three cities at random. You can use the Census Dots map and the Mapping Inequality: Redlining in New Deal America to make your own comparisons.