Satellite Pictures Show the Difference Between Rich and Poor Neighborhoods

“The difference between rich and poor neighborhoods is visible from space—just look for the trees. Tim DeChant at Per Square Mile drew this conclusion from research published a few years ago: “For every 1 percent increase in per capita income, demand for forest cover increased by 1.76 percent. But when income dropped by the same amount, demand decreased by 1.26 percent. The researchers reason that wealthier cities can afford more trees, both on private and public property. The well-to-do can afford larger lots, which in turn can support more trees. On the public side, cities with larger tax bases can afford to plant and maintain more trees.”

DeChant explored this theory by looking up neighborhoods on Google Earth. We added a few more cities, plus our own bigger satellite pictures. Although not a scientific comparison, we think the trend is apparent.”