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Evaluating uniqueness of Koreatown as an ethnic groupJae LeePublic Policy 224AM

Officially designated as Koreatown in 1978

Bordered in Beverly Blvd, Westmoreland/Virgil, Olympic Blvd, and Crenshaw Blvd/Wilton Pl by “Mapping L.A” project at latimes.com

$30,558 of Median Household Income in 2008

21.4% of residents 25 and older have a four-year degree

Why Koreatown in LA is preferred to other area to immigrants such as Korean?

Some Facts about Koreatown and Research Question

Koreatown Boundary

!( Ktown CenterKtown BoundaryFreeway ´ 0 1 2 3 40.5

Miles

• Bordered in Beverly Blvd, Westmoreland/Virgil, Olympic Blvd, and Crenshaw Blvd/Wilton Pl

• 124,281 population in 2008, based on LA Dept of City Planning

• Highest densities and the most diverse neighborhoods in Los Angeles

• Koreans, Korean Americans, Hispanics, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and other Asian Americans

{Many Ethnic Towns are somewhat different from Koreatown: • Only 2% of Thai in

Thai Town• Less than 1% of

Ethiopian in Little Ethiopia

• Less than 5% of Indians in Little India (Artesia)

• However, about 27% of Koreans in Koreatown

Whose Koreatown is it?

Origination of Immigrants in Koreatown

27%

28%6%

12%

13%

13%

Immigrants by Country of Origin Ko-reatown, 2008 – 2010

Mexico Korea Philippines Guatemala El Salvador Other

Korean population in Koreatown

Population by Race / Ethnicity 2008 – 2010

Koreatown LA County0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Hispanic/LatinoKoreanOther AsianWhiteAfrican-AmericanOther

Year Moved In by Foreign-Born Status 2008 - 2010

Non-Immigrant Immigrant Non-Immigrant ImmigrantKoreatown Los Angeles County

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Year 20102 or more years ago

Foreign-born in LA County and Koreatown

Working Poverty Rate 2000 and 2008 – 2010

Koreatown Yr 2000 Koreatown Yr 2008 - 2010

Los Angeles County Yr 2000

Los Angeles County Yr 2008 - 2010

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

Chart Title

Poverty in LA County and Koreatown

Relationship on Rent and Ktown Proximity

Distance ( meter )80,00070,00060,00050,00040,00030,00020,00010,000

Ren

t Hou

se ($

/ M

onth

)

2,200

2,000

1,800

1,600

1,400

1,200

1,000

800

600

400

200

0

• There is a relationship between Rent and how you are close to Koreatown

• Rent gets relatively higher in Koreatown

• About 40 Korean Bank Branches in Koreatown and LA Downtown

• About 8 major supermarkets in Koreatown

Korean Students Enrollment near Koreatown

Public Schools in Koreatown

• More than 10 Elementary schools

• Not many Middle schools and High Schools

• There are 9 colleges such as USC and UCLA near Koreatown

• Easy access to Metro and Big Blue from Koreatown

Not only easy access to LA Downtown but also to West area

Koreans highly prefer Koreatown to north of LA County

Location

Public Transportation

Education (Colleges, Junior-High School)

Services: Banks for Garment Industry and Real Estate Industry, Market, Churches

Conclusion

Mapping in L.A. by latimes.com Latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-

rodriguez3-2009apr13,0,7756363.column

SCAG Region: Compass Blueprint Case Study Koreatown

US Census Socialexplorer.com Koreatown: A Contested Community at a

Crossrads

Sources

Modeling Measurement/Analysis Original Data Charts Buffer Hotspot Analysis

Skills Used

Modeling for Raster