Chris Churchill: Economic divide between Arbor Hill and Loudonville continues to grow

[...] the census estimated that the median household income in the primary Loudonville census tract was $105,833, placing the hamlet in Colonie among the more affluent of Capital Region communities.

The census estimates that the median household income in Arbor Hill fell from $25,135 to $20,665.

Yes, the rise of income inequality is well-known, so accepted as fact that it is cited by conservative and liberal presidential candidates alike.

The neighborhoods are peppered with vacant and boarded-up buildings, evidence of the long-term disinvestment that followed white flight in the 1950s and 1960s.

The Arbor Hill median income statistic, for example, has a margin of error of roughly $4,000.

Consider that in 2009, the census estimated that the neighborhood's median income was $26,552 — which is 22 percent higher than the most recent number, without accounting for inflation.

Most Loudonville households are headed by married couples , and most residents are college graduates.

The state spends billions on economic development — but good luck finding evidence of that spending in Arbor Hill, even though you can see the neighborhood from the Capitol.

[...] the contrast between Loudonville and the city neighborhood to its south is self-evident, from the quality of schools and stores to the safety of streets and the condition of houses.