Survey: Minorities, Whites See Life in D.C. Area Very Differently

WASHINGTON — Fear of the police is pervasive among Blacks and Latinos living in the Washington, D.C., area, while Whites and those who are well-educated or wealthy are more likely to report being “extremely satisfied” with where they live.

These stark contrasts are among the findings of a groundbreaking survey report released Monday that sought to gauge people’s perceptions of their neighborhoods in select communities in and around the nation’s capital.

One of the distinct features of the report — titled “Diversity in the D.C. Area” — is that it examined two types of neighborhoods that scholars say are understudied: disproportionately Latino neighborhoods and those that the report described as “quadrivial,” that is, where White, Asian, Black and Latinos make up at least 10 percent each but no single group represents a majority. (The word “quadrivial” is a Latin term that means “four roads meeting,” according to the report).

Michael Bader, a sociology professor at American University and author of the report, said it illuminates areas that policymakers need to address in order to bring about a more equitable experience for those living in diverse and disproportionately Latino neighborhoods in DC and the surrounding area.

“Different groups live together but have different levels of satisfaction,” Bader said Monday at a panel discussion at American University to release the results of the survey.

While the survey found that more than two-thirds of the D.C. area respondents were “extremely satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their neighborhoods, Whites and those with more education were more likely to indicate that they were “extremely satisfied” with their neighborhood, the report states.

Specifically, 1 out of every 4 Whites indicated being extremely satisfied with where they live, versus only 1 out of every 5 Blacks and Latinos, and 1 out of every 6 Asian respondents.