low income white areas (equity, work, cheap)

[crbcrbrgv]

As a former Chicagoan, you must understand that "poor" to the average white person means under 65,000 a year for a family of 3.

[chicagogreekboy]

in response to Scottl333, I am sorry to interject or sound like I am trying to pick a fight, but the Clearing neighborhood by Midway Airport is not poor white. Yes, it is mostly immigrants but the folk are middle-class by Illinois state data, and predominantly Polish and Czech. The streets are extremely well-kept and the houses, mostly post WWII Ranch-style, are all in excellent shape. If I were a bit older with a steadier income I would move there...but the noise right by the airport?

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by chicagogreekboy

in response to Scottl333, I am sorry to interject or sound like I am trying to pick a fight, but the Clearing neighborhood by Midway Airport is not poor white. Yes, it is mostly immigrants but the folk are middle-class by Illinois state data, and predominantly Polish and Czech. The streets are extremely well-kept and the houses, mostly post WWII Ranch-style, are all in excellent shape. If I were a bit older with a steadier income I would move there...but the noise right by the airport?

You have to remember alot of people differ in their view on what is middle class. Many people that are upper Middle class tend to exclude the lower and middle Middle class to make themselves feel exclusive and special yet still hardworking and real. This tends to be because they are not accepted as Upper Class or are really lower Upper Class trying to portray some aspect of a regular average American.

[valpoguy]

Originally Posted by chicagogreekboy

Yes, it is mostly immigrants but the folk are middle-class by Illinois state data

I know nothing about this particular neighborhood, so I won't join the argument about whether it's "poor", "middle class", or whatever, but I have to point out that you made a huge leap in logic in the above statement.

You can't base an income in Chicago on data for the whole state, because cost of living is so much lower in the rest of the state than in the Chicago area. Money only has meaning in terms of what it can purchase, which means it takes a higher income to live a middle class lifestyle in areas where cost of living is higher.

[Humboldt1]

I don't think any of the northwest suburbs are poor and white. There are pockets to be sure, such as "little mexico" along algonquin just west of new wilke in rolling meadows with all the cheap apartments (williamsburg) but I challenge anyone to find a white northwest suburb that is poorer than lower middle to working class.

Hanover Park might be the poorest northwest suburb I can think of. Rolling Meadows, hoffman estates, streamwood and even Schaumburg have some bad pockets but as a whole are middle to lower middle class. Addison fits this bill as well though I can see addison and villa park becoming "working class poor" in the next 10 years, especially villa park, which looks like it peaked around 1990. Schaumburg may have peaked around 1995 in my opinion.

[Humboldt1]

Avengerfire,

Glad you were able to have your gambling winnings for your drinks last night.

When I was an undergrad at wash u in st. Louis my two rich jewish roommates told me my parents were working class because they only made 100M per year and were not even middle class. They said "at best they were lower middle class.". What a bunch of rich spoiled pricks these guys were as this was 12 years ago, which would be like 150-175M now and keep in mind I am from rural Indiana which has a cost of living maybe even cheaper than downstate illinois.

Of course one was the son of a stockbroker from bakersfield and the other was the son of a physician from vashon island (seatle). I guess it is all relative.

I am upper middle class which I define for a single person as 100m-200m per year. And yes, my definition of middle class does keep changing

[aragx6]

I also think that class can be variable. As a kid I thought we were middle class, mostly because everyone else I knew was. It was only later when I found out how little my mom as a teacher with her masters was making and trying to support three kids that i realized we were lower middle at best. My mom just tried to shield us from that to a certain extent. We could have qualified for the reduced lunch program, but my mom didn't sign up.

My point being that class is in the eye of the beholder; it's so malleable that you can't really assign it to anyone you don't know.

[cdc3217]

Originally Posted by aragx6

I also think that class can be variable. As a kid I thought we were middle class, mostly because everyone else I knew was. It was only later when I found out how little my mom as a teacher with her masters was making and trying to support three kids that i realized we were lower middle at best. My mom just tried to shield us from that to a certain extent. We could have qualified for the reduced lunch program, but my mom didn't sign up.

My point being that class is in the eye of the beholder; it's so malleable that you can't really assign it to anyone you don't know.

Well said.

My best friend and I used to play a game of one-downsmanship as to which of our families was poorer. But really, I would say we were both in stable working class families ata time when that was middle-class.

[cobolt]

Originally Posted by cdc3217

Well said.

My best friend and I used to play a game of one-downsmanship as to which of our families was poorer. But really, I would say we were both in stable working class families ata time when that was middle-class.

Isn't it funny how that works? Growing up, I never would have thought we were lower-middle working class.....Now, I know!!

[aragx6]

I agree. I just figured since my mom had a masters we must have money, only to later find out kids whose parents were plumbers or HVAC guys were bringing home far bigger paychecks than my mom.