Eau Claire: Median Gross Rent by Race

• The areas on these maps which are in white indicate low median gross rent. These areas appear to match up with the same areas indicating renters who are renting in poverty, due to low household income. These areas include:  the Third Ward, the Student Rental Area, and the area near Dells Pond on the north side of downtown.  Also included in the low median gross rent category is the Central Business District (CBD) where there are apartments above shops.  The CBD is near campus and probably houses a fair number of students.
•  Please note that the two following maps are titled as "Median Gross Rent for Whites" and "Median Gross Rent for Asians".  The Census data is arranged in this manner.  These two race groups were chosen because they are the two most populous groups in the Eau Claire area.
• Please also note that as one travels in all directions outwards towards the suburbs, the median gross rent increases. The most expensive areas are on the farthest edges of town.
  • Part of the reason for this is older homes are concentrated in the interior of the city where the rent is cheap while newer homes in the suburbs are likely to have higher rental rates due to the amenities they offer such as dishwashers, built in washers and dryers, garages and efficient heating and cooling systems. The older homes in the interior of the city are not likely to have these luxuries because they were not available when these homes were built and it is costly to install them.
• To address the difference in rent for different races: It is likely that the difference is due to different concentrations of Asian and White populations throughout the city.  Asians who live in the suburbs are likely to make more money and hold professional jobs, thus allowing them to afford higher rent.  As I outlined above, a smaller sample size will not reflect an accurate median gross rent as a large sample size will.