"NEW YORK — The Ralph Lauren boutique in Brooklyn’s north Williamsburg neighborhood sells a denim jacket for $459.

A nearby bistro features sirloin steak for $39, and a condo in an old umbrella factory lists for $2.5 million.

Gentrification has driven the median household income in this enclave of Birkenstocks and baby strollers to $166,600. That’s more than double its level 10 years ago and nearly two-and-a-half times higher than the New York State median.

But the affluent neighborhood is considered a “disadvantaged community” because of its high pollution levels and legacy as an industrial area with a large minority population."

Thomas Frank reports for E&E News July 12, 2022. [2]