Aged in cities: residential segregation in 10 USA central cities

This study focuses on the segregation of the aged in ten USA cities. The objectives are to determine the degree of segregation of elderly within cities, and how the pattern varied from 1960 to 1970 by size of city, age of city, and for cities that are growing and declining in population. Census data were used to compare proportions of the population 65 and over living in central city and suburban locations, and a summary Index of Dissimilarity was computed to measure the degree of age segregation by census tracts. In all metropolitan areas there was a disproportionate share of the elderly residing within the central city and considerable segregation in certain census tracts within the city. However, the degree of segregation showed no pattern of increase between 1960 and 1970. There was less segregation of the aged in older, declining cities and greater segregation in younger, growing cities. These findings suggest that age segregation is in part a function of the urbanization process.