Neighborhoods are essential components of vibrant cities. They serve as integrated areas within which residents share space, interact with each other, and forge shared identities and experiences. As a key element within the 2015 Jackson Master Plan, Beckett & Raeder, Inc. undertook an assessment of neighborhoods within Jackson. This section should serve the City as a guide to the relative strengths, weaknesses, and needs of Jackson’s neighborhoods.

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Delineating Jackson’s varied neighborhoods was a critical step in the assessment process. Main roads, schools, parks, and cultural facilities were mapped within the City and subsequently, the planning team conducted a windshield survey to identify clusters of housing types, ages and land uses. This information, along with community input, was used to define neighborhood boundaries.

Using GIS data, the planning team then assessed the overall economic stability and quality of placemaking attributes within these defined districts. Neighborhoods that ranked the highest in terms of economic stability had high rates of occupancy and homeownership and low rates of tax delinquency. Areas such as Queens, Essex, and Cascades in the western extent of the City scored well on these measures and were thus classified as “competitive” on the resulting Housing Market Analysis map. Likewise, neighborhoods with a high degree of street connectivity, housing density, tree canopy, and access to schools and parks scored high in terms of place quality. Neighborhoods close to downtown such as Partnership Park, Bennett, and Loomis exemplified these characteristics and were thus classified as “place made” on the resultant Built Form map.