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I make less than the average in Hunterdon..... *shrug* oh well, atleast for another year and change until the gf works full time, then I'll be above the line
A story on the trends. Poverty rate in Burlington County declined pretty significantly, the two poorest counties in the state are no longer in South Jersey. Poverty rate in Camden, while still horrible, dropped very significantly.
More than Bergen and Morris WOW, I am very shocked.
I am surprised Bergen is so far behind Morris, Hunterdon and Somerset. Sussex at $78k, WOW. Wonder if Essex data can be partitioned for 'West Essex' and if the Hudson data can be partitioned for Hoboken and Jersey City. What county is Edgewater (Hudson or Bergen)?
Im not shocked at all!! I saw decline in Bergen and could not wait to get out! Im out and loving it!! Life is only getting better each day for me! Now only if Mom was well I would have it all!
dude, bergen county's income isn't declining. it simply isn't increasing at anywhere near the rate of areas to the south and west. but it isn't getting poorer overall.
it's more accurate to say that the county has become more stratified between the upper middle-to-upper classes versus the borderline working-to-middle classes, with the solid middle class steadily getting squeezed out. there aren't any large ghettos in the county such as irvington or camden, but you do see a number of modest towns that used to be filled with irish/scottish/italians/germans/polish who were middle class income-wise - but had a blue collar occupation or mentality - and are increasingly being supplanted by first generation minority populations. in fact, lots of immigrants have moved into the county over the past 20-25 years (some directly from their home countries, others from local urban landing points such as hudson county or nyc, esp. queens). most of these immigrants are from asia and latin america.
as these immigrants get wealthier, more and more of them will either move to the elite towns in the county or to points west and south, or out of nj altogether - mirroring what's been going on with longtime caucasian bergen residents. the cycle will continue that way because the area is so close to the employment and immigration center that is nyc and has a number of nice towns with good schools.
and keep in mind that although some of these immigrants are wealthy, the great majority of them are just "starting out" - meaning that their modest financial status has offset the county's overall income gains from all of the nyc yuppies moving in. this is a major reason why bergen's income isn't growing at the rate of the outlying nj counties. but as time goes on, these immigrants and their children (the ones who stay in the county) will accrue more equity, meaning that the overall income level of the area (and other inner ring suburbs) may very well increase at a faster rate than it is at the present. bergen has already seen a marked increase in the number of asians in wealthier towns with good school districts such as tenafly, demarest, closter, cresskill, old tappan, and to a lesser extent ridgewood and mahwah. this has actually been going on for 20-25 years, and will continue in the years going forward, since the county has major cachet with certain immigrant populations (especially koreans).
meanwhile, central, western, and south jersey have more available land to build on, so it shouldn't be surprising to anyone that the counties in those areas have seen a marked increase in income - lots of people have moved out of their cape cods to a mcmansion surrounded by land over the past 30 years. but you know what? it can't continue forever, even in new jersey, one of the most quintessentially suburban states in the nation. we've already seen a trend toward returning to urban areas and/or walkable downtowns, with increased residential and commercial investment. i see that trend continuing as land becomes more scarce in the outlying areas, with more and more white collar professionals choosing modest but compact, walkable, inner ring suburbs with good mass transit such as lyndhurst over an exurb with a long commute such as jackson or northeast pennsylvania.
More than Bergen and Morris WOW, I am very shocked.
I am surprised Bergen is so far behind Morris, Hunterdon and Somerset. Sussex at $78k, WOW. Wonder if Essex data can be partitioned for 'West Essex' and if the Hudson data can be partitioned for Hoboken and Jersey City. What county is Edgewater (Hudson or Bergen)?
I have the answer to that and its only one word too, its PACO!!!! Thats the no spin zone answer, SPINCYCLE !! HA HA!!
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