American suburbs radically changed over the decades - and so have their politics

Decades ago, American suburbs were seen as very stable, mostly white and middle class. But that image is no longer accurate, says Georgia State geographer Jan Nijman. The majority of African Americans now live in suburbs and certain suburbs have become major destinations for immigrants. These changes have brought about extreme inequalities in suburbs, where poverty has grown faster than in cities. In his book on suburbs, Nijman describes how diverse and varied suburbs have become over the past decades.

00:29 - For example, in metro Atlanta, one area - the mostly white 30305 zip-code - has a life expectancy of 84 years, with household incomes twice Atlanta’s average. Only a 15 minute drive away is the 30314 zip code area, which is a mostly black inner suburb, where life expectancy is only 71 and incomes are less than half the Atlanta average. Suburbs have also become key political battleground areas. “Swing suburbs” undergoing demographic changes, like Seminole County in Florida, can play a key role in deciding elections. .