white flight

American  

[hwahyt flahyt, wahyt] / ˈʰwaɪt ˈflaɪt, ˈwaɪt /

noun

1. the movement of white people, especially middle-class and affluent white people, from urban neighborhoods undergoing racial integration to the suburbs.

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white flight British  

noun

1. the departure of White residents from areas where non-White people are settling

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Etymology

Origin of white flight

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

In brief, Citicorp is seeking to build a new headquarters in New York, at a time when New York is mired in rampant street crime, white flight and financial collapse.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

Pendergrass explains how white flight in the 1960s and ’70s resulted in the stark racial segregation that makes the neighborhood feel like an island in its own right — populated almost entirely by Black people.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 21, 2023

“It’s very easy to look at the Bronx during this period in terms of deficits, redlining, disinvestment, white flight, the loss of economic opportunity,” Naison said.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 9, 2023

The late 1960s marked an era of deindustrialization, divestment, and white flight from urban centers, resulting in a series of racialized riots.

From Slate • Jul. 3, 2023

Harry looked up and saw Hermione Granger standing at the top of the white flight of steps to Gringotts.

From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling