Density/Median Income
The Bay Area consists of nine counties. Though the region is often spoken about as a whole, there is significant variability among and within the counties. The chart below lays out some of these differences. It might be helpful to note that the city of San Francisco is its own county, but the city of Oakland is part of Alameda County, and the city of San Jose is part of Santa Clara County. Think about how the county’s demographics reflect the presence of a major city.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau; Association of Bay Area Governments. Smart Growth Strategy: Regional Livability Report. Oakland, CA. August 2001. |
Questions:
1. Which counties have the largest population? Which have the most land? Which have high densities? Which have low densities?
2. Do you detect a relationship between percent of open space and median household income? Why might that be the case? Some argue that open space preservation prevents the construction of affordable housing. Think of one reason why that might not be the case.
3. Which counties contain most of the jobs? The average commute for residents living in these counties is still rather high. Why might that be the case?
