Demographic Profile of Seniors in PSA 1-A - Detroit Area Agency on ...

Subcommunity Analysis
S<strong>in</strong>ce 1951, United Way Community Services has ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>ed a geographic identification
system <strong>in</strong>corporat<strong>in</strong>g divisions with<strong>in</strong> <strong>Detroit</strong> called “subcommunities.” Subcommunities
are geographic areas represent<strong>in</strong>g aggregations <strong>of</strong> census tracts 10 and compris<strong>in</strong>g multiple
neighborhoods. Subcommunities are <strong>in</strong>tended to reflect geographic areas <strong>of</strong> similar
social and economic conditions, conta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g compatible residents and hous<strong>in</strong>g structures
and hav<strong>in</strong>g little variation <strong>in</strong> total population and hous<strong>in</strong>g units. Subcommunities are
redrawn every decade to correspond with population and hous<strong>in</strong>g shifts that have
occurred with<strong>in</strong> the City <strong>of</strong> <strong>Detroit</strong>. In 2000, there were 39 subcommunities.
This report will only touch on the basic formula characteristics <strong>of</strong> the subcommunities,
though additional data can be found <strong>in</strong> the Appendix tables.
Table 36. Rank<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> Subcommunities on 2000 Population 60+
Mackenzie 6,015 Belle Isle 3,180
Ketter<strong>in</strong>g/ Butzel 5,762 Central 3,125
State Fair/ Nolan 5,637 Airport 2,842
Harmony Village 5,175 Cerveny 2,768
Cody/ Rouge 4,757 Redford 2,678
Pembroke 4,692 University 2,613
Durfee 4,515 Osborn 2,350
Rosa Parks 4,501 Connor 2,322
Vernor 4,387 Grandmont 2,290
Persh<strong>in</strong>g 4,379 Boynton 2,224
Bagley 4,297 McNichols 2,013
Chadsey/ Condon 4,024 Mack 1,821
Downtown 3,905 Burbank 1,809
Tireman 3,833 Palmer Park 1,788
Greenfield 3,814 Denby 1,757
W<strong>in</strong>terhalter 3,648 Chene 1,738
Evergreen 3,607 Rosedale Park 1,662
Brooks 3,379 Brightmoor 1,396
F<strong>in</strong>ney 3,281 Jeffries 1,154
St. Jean 3,262
Four subcommunities conta<strong>in</strong> more than 5,000 seniors, while an additional eight conta<strong>in</strong>
between 4,000 and 5,000. While there is no clear geographic pattern, one can see that, as
was the case with sectors, subcommunities on the near west and northwest side <strong>of</strong> the city
tend to dom<strong>in</strong>ate. As a numerical rank<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong>ten merely reflects subcommunities with
larger total populations, we also take a look at the share <strong>of</strong> each subcommunity that is 60
10 Census tracts are small, relatively permanent statistical subdivisions <strong>of</strong> a county or statistically equivalent
entity, del<strong>in</strong>eated for data presentation purposes by a local group <strong>of</strong> census data users <strong>in</strong> accordance with
U.S. Census Bureau guidel<strong>in</strong>es. Designed to be relatively homogeneous units with respect to population
characteristics, economic status, and liv<strong>in</strong>g conditions at the time they are established, census tracts
generally conta<strong>in</strong> between 1,000 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size <strong>of</strong> 4,000 people. Census tract
boundaries are del<strong>in</strong>eated with the <strong>in</strong>tention <strong>of</strong> be<strong>in</strong>g stable over many decades, so they generally follow
relatively permanent visible features. However, they may follow governmental unit boundaries (city limits)
and other <strong>in</strong>visible features <strong>in</strong> some <strong>in</strong>stances.
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