Index of dissimilarity

The index of dissimilarity is a demographic measure of the evenness with which two groups are distributed across component geographic areas that make up a larger area. A group is evenly distributed when each geographic unit has the same percentage of group members as the total population. The index score can also be interpreted as the percentage of one of the two groups included in the calculation that would have to move to different geographic areas in order to produce a distribution that matches that of the larger area. The index of dissimilarity can be used as a measure of segregation. A score of zero (0%) reflects a fully integrated environment; a score of 1 (100%) reflects full segregation. In terms of black–white segregation, a score of .60 means that 60 percent of blacks would have to exchange places with whites in other units to achieve an even geographic distribution.^[1]^[2]

^ Bureau, US Census. "Housing Patterns: Appendix B: Measures of Residential Segregation". Census.gov. Retrieved 2022-04-28.
^ Massey, Douglas S.; Rothwell, Jonathan; Domina, Thurston (2009-10-26). "The Changing Bases of Segregation in the United States". The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 626 (1): 74–90. doi:10.1177/0002716209343558. ISSN 0002-7162. PMC 3844132. PMID 24298193.

[1] Bureau, US Census. "Housing Patterns: Appendix B: Measures of Residential Segregation". Census.gov. Retrieved 2022-04-28.

[2] Massey, Douglas S.; Rothwell, Jonathan; Domina, Thurston (2009-10-26). "The Changing Bases of Segregation in the United States". The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 626 (1): 74–90. doi:10.1177/0002716209343558. ISSN 0002-7162. PMC 3844132. PMID 24298193.

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