This research compares the contemporary areal patterning of cultural and economic assimilation with patterns expected from a model of urban spatial assimilation described by Massey and modified by us. Using 1990 census data (PUMS) for 12 immigrant groups in the greater Los Angeles area, we locate the ethnic concentrations of each group and identify two additional zones based on distance from the concentration. The zones represent varying degrees of spatial assimilation. This method allows us to compare the distribution of immigrant cohorts over time and the degree of cultural and economic assimilation of residents of the different zones. Our findings confirm most geographical aspects of the modified model. Zonal differentiation occurs in the expected direction and is statistically significant although not strong for most groups. More recently arrived immigrant groups and those with higher incomes tend to show greater differences in assimilation between zones.

ABSTRACT. Although residential concentrations of immigrant ethnic groups in cities were common a century ago, it is not clear to what extent members of more recently arrived groups live near each other. We attempt to determine how common such clustered settlement is today, using 2000 census data to measure concentrations of Asians, Hispanics, and their larger ethnic subgroups in fifteen large metropolitan areas. The percentage of an ethnic group that is residentially concentrated correlated significantly with the group's proportion in an area. With metropolitan areas weighted equally, 38 percent of Hispanics and 13 percent of Asians were concentrated. However, when we analyzed eight specific nationality groups, the residentially concentrated proportion ranged from 14 to 59 percent. Level of cultural assimilation appears to explain group differences in level of concentration. Although ethnic concentrations were more pronounced in the largest metropolitan areas, important concentrations were also found in many of the smaller areas in our study.

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