Is class becoming a more important determinant of neighborhood attainment for African-Americans?

In the wake of the civil rights era, it is generally thought that the importance of class in determining social outcomes has increased. The extent to which this is true for locational outcomes, however, is unclear. This article examines how Blacks' ability to translate individual characteristics into locational outcomes changed over the period from 1970 to 2000. The results presented here show that higher socioeconomic status Blacks have more White neighbors, fewer poor neighbors, and live in neighborhoods with higher housing values. This pattern was evident in 1970, however, and appears to have changed little over time. To the extent Blacks are living in more integrated and higher-status neighborhoods, it appears to be because their socioeconomic status is improving. Their ability to translate their status into locational outcomes remained static.