The Mission District in San Francisco could soon be facing a substantial decline in the number of Latino households living in the area, the city’s budget and legislative analyst found in a report released Tuesday.
If the current demographic trends continue, the study said the percentage of Latinos living in the area could drop from the 48 percent it had in 2013 to 31 percent by 2025. Just 15 years ago, Latinos accounted for 60 percent of the Mission’s total population.
Families with children also seem to be ditching the district, according to the study, with a projected drop from 21 percent of households in 2013 to only 11 percent in 2025.
However, these changes do not reflect displacement patterns for the city as a whole. In fact, the city saw an increase of about 13 percent of its overall Latino population since 2000, while the number of households with children citywide has remained constant at 19 percent.
Still, some worry that the changes within the Mission District will transform and erase a significant – if not predominant – part of the neighborhood's culture. The Mission has long been seen as the city’s Latino stronghold, with world-famous taquerias, annual carnavals, and colorful Latino murals lining the street.
