Does spatial assimilation lead to reproduction of gentrification in the global city?

Abstract

In the political economy of place, cities can be thought of as global commodities marketed to the “creative class” and highly skilled immigrants, while privileged suburban spaces are protected by place stratification. The spatial assimilation literature shows that assimilated immigrants and minorities move to White, Anglo suburbs, resulting in some White succession. Is there a positive association between spatial assimilation and gentrification? How have populations in gentrifying neighborhoods and those experiencing spatial assimilation changed? This study answers these questions using ecological analysis and propensity score matching to analyze normalized census tract data from the National Neighborhood Change Database (1970–2010). Gentrification and spatial assimilation are correlated: the former as increased, whereas the latter has plateaued. Percentage White declined in both types of neighborhood. Gentrifying neighborhoods see an influx of Hispanic immigrants but no other immigrant populations. More barriers to spatial assimilation than to gentrification appear to remain, a finding consistent with place stratification theory.