Two new studies by researchers at Stanford and Harvard Universities highlight the effect of neighborhood amenities in creating disparities between white and black families. The Stanford study found that among white and black families with similar incomes, white families are much more likely to live in good neighborhoods — with high-quality schools, day-care options, parks, playgrounds and transportation options. In fact, the typical middle-income black family lives in a neighborhood with lower incomes than the typical low-income white family. The findings are particularly striking in light of findings of a recent study from Harvard researchers which found children whose families received public housing in better neighborhoods earned 31% more as adults than otherwise similar children placed into worse neighborhoods.