Examining patterns of diversity across the DMV
Humanities
Step 2: Examining patterns of diversity across the DMV
Understanding the Community Demographics and Neighborhood
What we are calling the common assignment is intended to have you explore local/global dynamics through food cultures in the broader Arlington County region. Although neighborhood demographics do not necessarily reflect who shops where, and what type of food items are popular in which communities, such information can be helpful in understanding the community context of the shopping venues you will be observing later. For now, let us focus on locating two Arlington County communities that we can describe using US Census information.
I’ve created two maps that illustrate residential patterns in the DMV.
The first map shows how our neighborhoods differ in terms of the percentage of immigrants (i.e, foreign-born) living in each zip code
The second map shows the median household income within each zip code. Looking over these maps you can see a couple of important patterns in the residential distribution (who lives where) in our region.
In this way, we can better understand what residential diversity looks like in the DMV. Make note of the similarities and differences in the patterns of density. Think about the connections between high-income neighborhoods and neighborhoods with large foreign-born communities (if any exist). Zoom in on those areas of high density (make sure you have the Open Street map layer equipped). Consider the layout of these neighborhoods. Locate housing develops, schools parks, and (significantly) shopping areas.
Demographic Context
For this assignment, I’d like you to choose one neighborhood/zip code from map #1 showing high percentage of foreign-born, and another zip code from map #2 indicating a high percentage of people earning $150,000 or more.
Then I want you to look up information about these two neighborhoods using the American Fact Finder tool (Links to an external site.) from the US Census Bureau (start by putting your chosen zip code in the search box under “Community Facts”).
You’ll need to complete this worksheet with the requested information about your two neighborhoods and the neighborhood with Marymount is located. All of the information requested on the worksheet is available on the American FactFinder website
