Are there any established middle class black communities in the Bay Area? (San Jose: safe neighborhoods, good schools)

[Lena2345]

Greetings,

I've visited the Bay Area (SF, Oakland and Berkeley) but was surprised to discover that I couldn't locate any black middle class communities. I'm curious if such communities even exist in the Bay Area? One can find a plethora of established black middle class communities in NY (particularly in Queens, and Long Island), the D.C. Metro area, Chicago and of course throughout the South, but do they exist in the Bay area?

[Lena2345]

I'll take the lack of comments as a resounding, NO.

What I find interesting is, the most liberal area in the U.S. has relatively few or no black middle class communities.

[04kL4nD]

Actually, Oakland has several

[OaktownAndy]

I can't think of a predominantly black middle class neighborhood in the bay area and think there's a couple reasons for that.

1. The black middle class is just not a big enough demographic as a percentage of the entire population to establish one predominant area.

2. I think the priorities of the black middle class are a little different here than other parts of the country once they have achieved a little wealth. I think here priority is given to safe neighborhoods and good schools. Race is less of a factor. And, any safe neighborhood with good schools will attract a variety of people.

My black middle class friends live in San Francisco, walnut Creek, Oakland, Berkeley and San Jose. They are minorities in their neighborhoods usually but the bay area is a melting pot so it is not an issue.

[ExeterMedia]

Middle class blacks don't statistically live in black predominant neighborhoods. They move to more affluent areas where they are not the majority.

[Lena2345]

Originally Posted by ExeterMedia

Middle class blacks don't statistically live in black predominant neighborhoods. They move to more affluent areas where they are not the majority.

This is completely untrue. Most middle class blacks in the U.S. live in a middle class black community. Of course middle class differs based on region/locality.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by Lena2345

This is completely untrue. Most middle class blacks in the U.S. live in a middle class black community. Of course middle class differs based on region/locality.

The other poster should have said "middle class blacks in the Bay Area". Neighborhoods are separated more by economic status in the Bay Area than by race (to the degree that the two don't overlap).

[Lena2345]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

Actually, Oakland has several

Which areas in Oakland?

[Lena2345]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

The other poster should have said "middle class blacks in the Bay Area". Neighborhoods are separated more by economic status in the Bay Area than by race (to the degree that the two don't overlap).

I would be interested in seeing the overall number of blacks in the Bay area with middle class incomes.

[04kL4nD]

Maxwell Park definitely comes to mind. I'm not black, but lots of my neighbors in Jack London Square are.