Along Bedford Avenue

Our group chose to study the diversity of Williamsburg using Bedford Avenue as a sample. We walked along the avenue, which runs through the entirety of Williamsburg, and looked for demographic changes on each block. We noted where there were substantial changes in culture and, based on these, were able to divide Bedford Avenue into five segments within Williamsburg.

The Five Segments

Flushing Avenue, Beginning of Williamsburg – Division Avenue

Division Avenue – Broadway

Broadway, South 6th Street – Metropolitan Avenue

Metropolitan Avenue – North 12th Street

North 12th Street – Manhattan Avenue, End of Bedford

Overall, we found Bedford Avenue to be an effective representation of ethnic and cultural diversity in Williamsburg. Bedford is mainly home to Hasidic Jewish, Puerto Rican, Mexican and Hipster communities and to a smaller extent, to Asian communities. We were also able to identify certain markers of economic differentiation between the different segments. Please visit the pages for the five segments to find out how Bedford Avenue is segmented along ethnic, cultural and economic lines.