Segregation of Children

In this set of pages, you will find information for the population under age 18 in metropolitan areas. For many reasons, these results differ from those for the whole population. Minorities represent a larger share of the child population than of the adult population. The growth of the minority population is also faster in this age group, because minority adults on average are younger and more likely to have families with children. Moreover, residential patterns of adults and children differ - older whites are more likely to live in racially integrated neighborhoods, while those with children are more likely to live in predominantly white suburban communities.

The segregation of minority children, and the isolation of white children from the full diversity of the American population, poses special issues for public policy. The living environment of children shapes their peer groups and determines the schools in which they are educated.

The menu bar on the left side of the page will help you navigate the site. Our report on trends in the racial/ethnic composition and residential segregation of the under-18 population is found on the the national trends pages. The entire report and graphics may be downloaded for reproduction. Information on specific places is found on the view metropolitan areas pages. You may select any of the 331 metro areas in the nation, and find data for the metro area as a whole, or for the city or suburban portions of the metropolis. For those interested in the ranking of metropolitan areas, we also have sortable lists. If you wish to obtain racial/ethnic composition or segregation data in a spreadsheet, you can download the data directly.