U.Va. Study Finds Charlottesville Has Become More Populated, Diverse in Last Decade

July 26, 2011 — Charlottesville neighborhoods have grown and the population has become more diverse in the past 10 years, according to a report by demographers at the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.

"Charlottesville City: Census 2010" is the latest edition of Stat Chat, a regular digest published by the Cooper Center's Demographics & Workforce Group. Stat Chat assesses issues of current interest; this edition compares 2000 and 2010 U.S. Census data to identify notable trends and produce maps that paint a portrait of Charlottesville's 19 neighborhoods.

"Our research typically focuses on Virginia as a whole," said Qian Cai, director of the Demographics & Workforce group. "For this study, one of our researchers took a look closer to home. We developed maps of Charlottesville neighborhoods to show how statistical and geospatial analysis can tell a story of a city and its neighborhoods."

The brief study, written by policy associate Dustin Cable, uses maps and data points to show that the city and some neighborhoods in Albemarle County have experienced significant change over the past decade. These changes include:

•    The city's total population grew by 8.4 percent and now stands at more than 43,000 residents. The neighborhoods of Venable and Belmont led the city in growth. Combined, these two neighborhoods are home to more than 27 percent of the city's population.

•    Charlottesville's African-American population is declining and moving out of historically black neighborhoods as more whites and Asians move in. African-Americans now make up 19 percent of Charlottesville's residents, down from 22 percent a decade ago.

•    The population along the Route 29 corridor outside of the city continues to grow, particularly among minorities, including Hispanics, Asians and African-Americans.

"New housing developments and a doubling of housing values may be driving patterns of growth," Cable said. "Students, faculty and staff from the University may also play a significant role as seen in Venable, the most populated neighborhood in the city."


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Rebecca P. Arrington

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