Racial/ethnic and class segregation at workplace and residence: A Los Angeles case study

Expanding the scope of existing segregation literature, this research compares racial/ethnic segregation across economic classes and class segregation across racial/ethnic groups at two anchor locations of individual life: residence and workplace. Using the 2015 U.S. Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics data for the Los Angeles region, we depict a complicated picture: Segregation is moderate in the study area, but minority and/or low-income workers experience additional segregation on top of racial/ethnic segregation at residence. Specifically, the levels of segregation at residence are positively correlated with the segregation levels at workplace; racial/ethnic segregation is more severe at residence, while class segregation is more severe at the workplace, particularly for racial minorities; racial/ethnic segregation is the highest in the low-income group but lowest in the low-medium income group; class segregation in White workers is lower than that in Black and Asian workers at workplace but greater at residence. Therefore, policies that aim to effectively mitigate segregation should leverage intricate social environments at different spatial settings.