Age, Housing Choice, and Neighborhood Age Structure

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Abstract
Prior studies of age segregation have been restricted to the use of aggregate data for blocks or census tracts, and to an aggregate assumption that the actual behavior of individuals was being observed. This study, however, focuses on the process whereby individual differences in age are transformed into age segregation; it does so through observation of the housing and location choices of individuals. A large sample of the population of all urbanized areas is used to test how persons of all ages fit into patterns of age segregation. In a path model, age is found related to neighborhood age structure, but its effects are considerable outweighed by those of housing and location choices. Elaboration of this general path model by age group shows that the individual model of age segregation operates least well among the elderly. Further exploration yields evidence that, among the elderly population, the traditional routes to age segregation have been replaced in recent years by an alternate process. It is suggested that the individual approach to age segregation would, if applied to other forms of segregation, advance knowledge of the phenomena.

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