It’s no secret there is a huge income disparity in Berkeley. Data from the 2010 Census Bureau’s Gini Index showed that Berkeley had the widest gap in the Bay Area between rich and poor, according to a 2011 Bay Citizen article.
Now a man named Chris Persuad has mapped out all the census blocks in the United States. Rich Blocks, Poor Blocks provides a visual glimpse of how income is distributed. In Berkeley, it’s much as you would expect. The wealthiest areas are around the Claremont Hotel and in the hills. The census tract with the highest median income is around Solano Avenue, specifically the neighborhoods between The Alameda to Grizzly Peak, north of Marin. That tract, 4212, has a median household income of $158,988.The poorest census tract, according to Rich Blocks, Poor Blocks, is the University of California itself. The median household income on the UC Berkeley campus stretching south to Durant and as far north as Cedar Street is $6,125. Other areas adjacent to the university also have low median incomes ranging from $20,586 to $34,778.
This would seem to be skewed because of the presence of students, but another Bay Citizen article states that the Census Bureau did not count adults living in groups in calculating the Gini Index just to avoid distortions.
The map also shows that residents living in the south side of Berkeley are among the poorest in the city. The median income in the area is $38,790.
Check out Rich Blocks, Poor Blocks for yourself.
(Hat tip: Paul Rauber)
Do you like staying informed about Berkeley news? Then please consider becoming a Berkeleyside Member and supporting us. Members get invited to special parties, get first dibs and discounts on tickets to events, a behind-the-scenes newsletter, and the knowledge that a contribution will keep the news reporting flowing.
