Residential Segregation - Black/White*

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The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute Model of Health

Use the model to explore the measures of how long and how well we live and what shapes these trends. Select a measure in the diagram or browse the list of all measures.

Measures marked with an asterisk (*) are not included in summary calculations for Population Health and Well-being or Community Conditions.

About

Index of dissimilarity where higher values indicate greater residential segregation between Black and White county residents. The 2025 Annual Data Release used data from 2019-2023 for this measure.

Most overtly discriminatory policies and practices promoting segregation based on race, such as separate schools and separate seating on public transportation or in restaurants, have been illegal for decades. However, segregation caused by structural, institutional, and individual racism still exists in many parts of the country. The removal of discriminatory policies and practices has impacted acts of racism but has had little effect on structural racism, like residential segregation, resulting in lingering structural inequalities. Residential segregation is a key determinant of racial differences in socioeconomic mobility and, additionally, can create social and physical risks in residential environments that adversely affect health.1 Although this area of research is gaining interest, structural forms of racism and their relationship to health inequities remain under-studied.2

Residential segregation remains prevalent in many areas of the country and may influence both personal and community well-being. Residential segregation of Black and White residents is considered a fundamental cause of health disparities in the United States and has been linked to poor health outcomes, including mortality, a wide variety of reproductive, infectious, and chronic diseases, and other adverse conditions.2,3 Structural racism is also linked to poor-quality housing and disproportionate exposure to environmental toxins.4 Individuals living in segregated neighborhoods often experience increased violence, reduced educational and employment opportunities, limited access to quality health care, and restrictions on upward mobility.3,4

Find strategies to address Residential Segregation - Black/White*

The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute Model of Health

Use the model to explore the measures of how long and how well we live and what shapes these trends. Select a measure in the diagram or browse the list of all measures.

Measures marked with an asterisk (*) are not included in summary calculations for Population Health and Well-being or Community Conditions.

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Data and methods

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2025

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