How did housing in Pullman, Illinois, reflect the hierarchy of the workforce?

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shantytown in Chicago — Pullman Strike A shantytown on the lakefront in Chicago during the Pullman Strike and general economic downturn of 1893–94.

In the company town of Pullman, Illinois, housing was explicitly designed to mirror the social hierarchy of the workforce. The distribution of living quarters was structured as follows:

Executives: Resided in freestanding homes.
Skilled or senior workers: Occupied row houses.
Unskilled workers: Lived in tenements.
Common labourers: Housed in rooming houses.

This arrangement was part of George Pullman’s broader effort to control his employees' lives, as he ruled the town like a feudal lord. While the living conditions were generally considered better than those in surrounding areas, the company maintained strict oversight, including regular inspections of homes for cleanliness and the ability to terminate leases on short notice.1