Political polarization and nail salons in the United States

1. Introduction

This project undertakes a detailed exploration of socio-economic and political phenomena across the United States through a series of meticulously crafted maps. It examines a range of topics, including political polarization, the distribution of nail salons, and the enduring effects of historical redlining practices. The focus is on understanding how these factors intersect and influence each other within the context of U.S. urban and economic landscapes. By analyzing political polarization across different counties, mapping the prevalence of nail salons as a representation of small business activity, and investigating the long-term impacts of redlining policies from the mid-20th century, the study aims to reveal complex relationships between voting behavior, business distribution, and historical urban planning. This integrated approach seeks to uncover potential patterns and correlations that reflect how past and present socio-economic and political factors intertwine, offering valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of American society.

2. Objective

The main objective of this study is to investigate and visualize the relationships between:

• Political polarization across U.S. counties
• The distribution of nail salons (as a specific type of small business)
• Historical redlining practices and their potential long-term effects on urban development and business location

3. Methodology

3.1. Data Collection

• Gathering of voting data for Presidential Elections from 2008 to 2020 at the county level

• Collecting the information on the distribution of nail salons across the United States

• Obtaining the historical data on Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) grades for urban areas

3.2. Data Source

• Dataset Results of the 2008-2020 Presidential Elections by state and county - geo-data accessed from an open GitHub repository1

• OpenStreetMap data on amenities - accessed through the QGIS add-on

• Red-lining data from Mapping Inequality - Geo-package data with digitized HOLC maps2
• Income data sourced from bea.gov - CSV-file with average income by state and county

3.3. Data Analysis

• Calculating the mean difference in shares of Republican and Democrat voters by county

• Analyzing the distribution of nail salons in relation to political preferences

• Examining the correlation between nail salon locations and historical HOLC grades

3.4. Visualization

· Creating a series of maps to represent the analyzed data, including: a. A political polarization map showing voting differences by county b. A nail salon distribution map overlaid with political preferences c. A redlining map depicting historical HOLC grades d. A combined map showing nail salon distribution in relation to historical redlining in New York City

3.5. Comparative Analysis

• Comparing the distribution of nail salons with political polarization patterns

• Analyzing the relationship between nail salon locations and historical redlining practices

4. Results

4.1. Political polarisation Map

The Political Polarization Map illustrates the mean difference in the share of voters who supported Republican versus Democratic candidates in the Presidential Elections from 2008 to 2020, broken down by county. This map employs a color scale that ranges from -87% to 58% to depict variations in political allegiance. The division into quantiles highlights that Republican-leaning states tend to show higher levels of political polarization. More than 20% of U.S. states exhibit a situation where over 50% of their voter base supports the Republican Party, in contrast to a significantly lower percentage for Democratic states.

4.2. Nail Salon Distribution Map

The Nail Salon Distribution Map visualizes the geographic spread of nail salons across the United States, with color coding indicating the difference in shares of Republican and Democrat votes in the 2020 presidential election. The map reveals that areas with high concentrations of nail salons align with Democratic strongholds. This pattern demonstrates a correlation between the presence of nail salons and political preferences, suggesting that dense clusters of these businesses are predominantly found in Democratic counties

4.3. Income Distribution Map

The Income Distribution Map presents the average income by county, categorized into quantiles to illustrate economic disparities. This map shows a noticeable correlation between income levels and political preferences, with Democratic counties generally exhibiting higher average incomes. This trend reflects a broader socio-economic divide, where wealthier areas tend to align more with Democratic voting patterns.

4.4. Nail Salon Distribution in New York City

Focused on New York City, this map overlays the distribution of nail salons with the differences in Republican and Democratic vote shares from the 2020 presidential election. The data indicates that nail salons are concentrated in areas with a higher percentage of Democratic voters, mirroring the national trend observed in the broader Nail Salon Distribution Map. This localized analysis reinforces the association between nail salon locations and political preferences within the city

4.5. Redlining Map

The Redlining Map details the Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) grades assigned to various city areas during the 1930s and 1940s. The grades, ranging from A+ (most desirable) to F (hazardous), reflect discriminatory practices based on race and class. Neighborhoods with higher non-white populations were often labeled as 'declining' or 'hazardous,' resulting in restricted access to mortgage loans for non-white Americans and their confinement to these marginalized areas.

4.6. Nail Salon Distribution and Redlining

The below map overlays the distribution of nail salons in New York City with HOLC grades from the redlining map. This analysis shows that nail salons are predominantly situated in former grade D or grade E neighborhoods, which were historically deemed 'declining' or 'hazardous' for investment. This correlation highlights how the legacy of redlining continues to influence the location of businesses, including nail salons, in historically disadvantaged areas.

5. Conclusion

In conclusion, the analyses indicated a multifaceted view of how political polarization, economic factors, and historical urban policies intersect across the United States. It reveals significant correlations between political preferences and the distribution of nail salons, as well as the enduring impacts of redlining practices on business locations. Democratic counties tend to host a higher concentration of nail salons and exhibit greater economic wealth, while historical redlining has left a lasting mark on where businesses, including nail salons, are situated. These insights underscore the complex interplay between historical policies and contemporary socio-economic and political patterns, highlighting the ongoing influence of past discrimination on current urban and economic landscapes.

References

Source 1: tonmcg. US County Level Election Results 08-20 / GitHub. 2020 URL:https://github.com/tonmcg/US_County_Level_Election_Results_08-20?ysclid=lpy31t093e247275663

Source 2: https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/redlining/map#loc=4/41.2251/-95.8425