Mapping Change in Southern Los Angeles County: A K-Means Clustering Analysis on the Change of Industry Workers Residing in ZIP Codes from 2014 to 2019

Abstract:

The displacement of working-class and immigrant communities due to gentrification is a rampant issue in metropolitan cities. Because the gentrification process can be observed in various components in the urban sphere, this research spotlights the possible displacement of working-class and immigrant communities due to the socioeconomic demographic change in neighborhoods. This preliminary study focuses on the change of industry workers residing in southern Los Angeles County ZIP Codes from 2014 to 2019. The study’s main research question asks: Are the socioeconomic demographics in ZIP Codes southern Los Angeles County changing? This research places an emphasis on identifying ZIP Codes which experienced a change of industry workers residents. This study used the multivariate statistical analysis of K-means clustering via a Principle-Components Analysis. Additionally, maps were created to illustrate the geospatial change of industry workers residing in southern Los Angeles County ZIP Codes. 

Keywords: urban geography, economic geography, gentrification, Los Angeles County

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