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Anyhow, I am eternally grateful to live here, and find no big stress in being highly educated, well read, and therefore, in some people's views, a sort of socioeconomic oddity.
In what sense are you a socioeconomic oddity? Socioeconomic status is not determined by degrees, though there is certainly a correlation between the two. You said you were poor and you live in a lower-income city...seems to be a match no?
Regardless, I'm glad you are happy in Oxnard. I wouldn't be, as I said, I simply wouldn't fit in with the vast majority of the residents.
I still don't know what point you are trying to make. The median household income in Oxnard is $55k, that doesn't mean every household makes that much. The fact that there are some neighborhoods with households with higher incomes is not surprising at all.
Also, as mentioned before, your neighborhood may have a lot of retired people but Oxnard as a whole is a young city. This will inflate the income statistics for Oxnard in comparison to other cities not depress it.
Wrong, it's about $56,000.
As long as you live in the right areas of Oxnard you shouldn't have a problem.
The place I lived in north Oxnard was a nice area, but kid hot into gangs and the whole area just seemed to change.
Living close to the beach and closest possible to Camarillo or closest to Ventura are the best parts. The closer you are to La Colonia the worse it gets.
Also, you can't go wrong with the shopping options in Oxnard compared to Thousand Oaks-
Fry's Electronics
Costco
Sam's Club
Lowe's
Home Depot
Wal-Mart Supercenter
Two story Target
An the new mall
Also, you have to think about other large cities again. Long Beach and Oakland both have very nasty areas, but they also have really good areas.
LadyKLO, you are sweet. Thanks so much. I may sound all light and airy in my posts, but I am grieving pretty hard. People like you help ease the pain.
As for Oxnard...it is full of all sorts of people, and therefore not perfect. Just real, a good place to call home.
A great place for people like me who were disabled in an accident years ago to live in...no way can I make the $$$ anymore that would set me up in Malibu, but no stress either. Oh, well, the 101 is stressful at times, but that's life.
Also, you can't go wrong with the shopping options in Oxnard compared to Thousand Oaks-
Oxnard doesn't have much that Thousand oaks doesn't so I'm not sure I understand the comment. But I really don't understand the focus on big box retailers anyways.....I really don't shop much (outside of food) so I really don't care whether such and such store is in the Conejo Valley or LA.
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Originally Posted by the city
Also, you have to think about other large cities again. Long Beach and Oakland both have very nasty areas, but they also have really good areas.
What do you mean other large cities? Oxnard is not a large city...as a result even if you live in one of the better neighborhoods you can't escape the other parts of Oxnard. On the other hand large cities like LA have numerous communities that are largely self-contained.
Oxnard doesn't have much that Thousand oaks doesn't so I'm not sure I understand the comment. But I really don't understand the focus on big box retailers anyways.....I really don't shop much (outside of food) so I really don't care whether such and such store is in the Conejo Valley or LA.
What do you mean other large cities? Oxnard is not a large city...as a result even if you live in one of the better neighborhoods you can't escape the other parts of Oxnard. On the other hand large cities like LA have numerous communities that are largely self-contained.
The areas close to Channel Islands Harbor and Mandalay Beach and Oxnard Shores are quiet nice and safe all though I hear that area wanted to annex from the city.
Northside Oxnard is also nice where Riverpark is.
200,000 population is a good sized city. I think it's close to Pasadena, Glendale, Huntington Beach, and San Bernardino's size.
Why do you even live in the Conejo Valley if you don't care about shopping and dining? Shouldn't you be in a community like Filmore, Ojai, or Agoura Hills. You sound liberal and to my understanding the Conejo Valley is very Conservative.
If there wasn't rich people in Oxnard, then The Collection would not exist.
Also, LadyKLO and Soon2beSurprise are in the wealthier nice parts of Oxnard.
And the city is trying to change crime levels through out the whole city, and more Whites and wealthier people have been moving to Oxnard.
The medium income went from $48,000 to $56,000.
Given Oxnard is not perfect yet, but it's getting there. Back when I was living in north Oxnard my area had some crime. But it sounds like crime in Northside is under control and sounds like central and south Oxnard are the crime infested areas.
I only lived in Oxnard until I was 6 and a half, and lived in Northridge for 6 months, but have visited several times.
My mom's mother lived in a gated condo in downtown Oxnard and my dad's parents lived in Westlake Village.
I plan to move back to Oxnard after college for at least two years. I'd rather say I lived in Oxnard for 8 yrs, my current home for 14 yrs, and then after that perhaps Ventura or Camarillo. I don't think my future income I will have enough money to live in North Oxnard or the beach area since by then prices will be up again.
200,000 population is a good sized city. I think it's close to Pasadena, Glendale, Huntington Beach, and San Bernardino's size.
"Good sized" yes, large no. Oxnard is nothing like a large city.
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Originally Posted by the city
Why do you even live in the Conejo Valley if you don't care about shopping and dining? Shouldn't you be in a community like Filmore, Ojai, or Agoura Hills. You sound liberal and to my understanding the Conejo Valley is very Conservative.
Why? Because I'm in this part of the country largely due to happenstance and I find the Conejo Valley to be the prettiest and most suitable area for me in this region. The Conejo Valley is only conservative if you're talking about fiscal matters, socially its not very conservative. Oxnard is the opposite, that is Oxnard is socially conservative but not fiscally conservative.
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Originally Posted by the city
If there wasn't rich people in Oxnard, then The Collection would not exist.
As I said, you seem to have a weird idea about "rich people". The collection isn't being built for rich people, its being built for working-class and middle-class people. There is nothing in "The collection" that won't be accessible to working and middle class folks.
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Originally Posted by the city
And the city is trying to change crime levels through out the whole city, and more Whites and wealthier people have been moving to Oxnard.
The medium income went from $48,000 to $56,000.
Oxnard is getting more Hispanic not less. Yes median income increased, but you are ignoring inflation. $48,000 in 2000 is equivalent to $60,000 in 2010 so incomes in Oxnard have actually decreased.
But I think its funny that you're suggesting that I'm some sort of bigot yet you talk about Oxnard getting "more whites" in relation to Oxnard getting better..... I don't think Oxnard needs "more whites"...there is nothing wrong with working-class Hispanic communities and trying to gentrify every community in Southern California can obviously not succeed....
"Good sized" yes, large no. Oxnard is nothing like a large city.
Why? Because I'm in this part of the country largely due to happenstance and I find the Conejo Valley to be the prettiest and most suitable area for me in this region. The Conejo Valley is only conservative if you're talking about fiscal matters, socially its not very conservative. Oxnard is the opposite, that is Oxnard is socially conservative but not fiscally conservative.
As I said, you seem to have a weird idea about "rich people". The collection isn't being built for rich people, its being built for working-class and middle-class people. There is nothing in "The collection" that won't be accessible to working and middle class folks.
Oxnard is getting more Hispanic not less. Yes median income increased, but you are ignoring inflation. $48,000 in 2000 is equivalent to $60,000 in 2010 so incomes in Oxnard have actually decreased.
But I think its funny that you're suggesting that I'm some sort of bigot yet you talk about Oxnard getting "more whites" in relation to Oxnard getting better..... I don't think Oxnard needs "more whites"...there is nothing wrong with working-class Hispanic communities and trying to gentrify every community in Southern California can obviously not succeed....
Oxnard is getting more Hispanics, but it also got more Whites. The White percentage in Oxnard went up which means the Hispanic percentage went down a little. I am just mentioning this because usually Caucasians moving to some place means a place is getting richer.
Are you serious about The Collection being for working-class folk?? I don't know anyone who could afford to shop at Whole Foods, Chico's, White House Black Market, Sur La Table, and those other stores. My friend whose in the working class goes to discounters. Most middle-class people I know don't shop at Whole Foods, they go to Trader Joes and Costco. All though middle class folk do go to Whole Foods, but not alot.
And I don't even shop at Abercrombie and Fitch, Urban Outfitters, Gap, or Express because it's too pricey for me. Those stores are all for upper middle class.
Middle class is more like PacSun, Vans, Aeropostale, outlet stores, etc....
You are rather totally disillusioned or messing with me about this...
I have a blog about a generalizations for each social class's lifestyles and I suggest you check it out. I am a sociology major, so I know for a fact that an income of $30,000 a year that a person can not afford to eat at a place with $15 meals a month at like Cheesecake Factory or buy $70 jackets from Urban Outfitters.
I am not stating The Collection is for upper class, just upper middle class.
The Collection is going to be similar to the Simi Valley Town Center in my honest opinion. Similar stores, similar restaurants, but instead of two Macy's it will have a movie theater, Target, REI, and Whole Foods.
You want to know what a working class mall looks like? Then check these malls out:
Ventura and Camarillo's malls seem to be mostly for middle class. Oxnard and Simi Valley seems to be for upper middle class and middle class. Thousand Oaks is for middle, upper middle, and upper class. Nordstrom's and the designer stores put the Thousand Oaks Mall up there.
Oxnard is getting more Hispanics, but it also got more Whites. The White percentage in Oxnard went up which means the Hispanic percentage went down a little. I am just mentioning this because usually Caucasians moving to some place means a place is getting richer.
And as I said before you're getting this all wrong. White and Hispanic aren't exclusive categories. In 2000 Oxnard was 66% Hispanic where as today its around 75% Hispanic. Oxnard has gotten more Hispanic not less.
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Originally Posted by the city
Are you serious about The Collection being for working-class folk?? I don't know anyone who could afford to shop at Whole Foods, Chico's, White House Black Market, Sur La Table, and those other stores....
I said the The Collection is for working-class and middle-class folks. Buying something at Sur La Table, etc is all within the means of these groups.
Quote:
Originally Posted by the city
And I don't even shop at Abercrombie and Fitch, Urban Outfitters, Gap, or Express because it's too pricey for me. Those stores are all for upper middle class.
There is nothing "upper middle class" about those stores, all their clothing is priced well within the means of working and middle class folks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by the city
I am a sociology major, so I know for a fact that an income of $30,000 a year that a person can not afford to eat at a place with $15 meals a month at like Cheesecake Factory or buy $70 jackets from Urban Outfitters.
No, you don't know that "for a fact", indeed your comment is rather nonsensical. There are many people with incomes of $30,000 that go to restaurants here and there, that buy a $70 jacket here and there, etc. These are irregular expenses and retailers, restaurants, etc don't need you to come into their store and buy something every week to make money.
The upper-middle class are a small cohort and there simply isn't enough of them to support a mall. That's even true in Thousand oaks which has a far higher percentage of upper-middle class than Oxnard does. Hence, all malls are almost by definition for working-class and/or middle-class demographics...the economics just don't work out otherwise.
And as I said before you're getting this all wrong. White and Hispanic aren't exclusive categories. In 2000 Oxnard was 66% Hispanic where as today its around 75% Hispanic. Oxnard has gotten more Hispanic not less.
I said the The Collection is for working-class and middle-class folks. Buying something at Sur La Table, etc is all within the means of these groups.
There is nothing "upper middle class" about those stores, all their clothing is priced well within the means of working and middle class folks.
No, you don't know that "for a fact", indeed your comment is rather nonsensical. There are many people with incomes of $30,000 that go to restaurants here and there, that buy a $70 jacket here and there, etc. These are irregular expenses and retailers, restaurants, etc don't need you to come into their store and buy something every week to make money.
The upper-middle class are a small cohort and there simply isn't enough of them to support a mall. That's even true in Thousand oaks which has a far higher percentage of upper-middle class than Oxnard does. Hence, all malls are almost by definition for working-class and/or middle-class demographics...the economics just don't work out otherwise.
Well, then I guess you can say malls are for middle class and some upper middle class.
You also have to realize the last Census incorporated an estimate on people who are not legal residents, so percentages went way more than 100%.
Looking at other cities in Ventura County, I would say Oxnard is slightly more diverse. More Asians, Filipinos, and Indians. But the other cities are not far behind with lots of Asians.
I wouldn't say Oxnard is bad though, I still believe more rich people have moved there and even if it's mostly middle class Hispanics with some upper middle.
Also, the medium income in Oxnard has gone up even with inflation. The census numbers include that. You even stated in an earlier post the medium income in Oxnard has gone up. So why are you changing your story?
The only way people would go down a class is not by their income, but on how much they are spending to pay off debts and loans.
Look, I will agree with you that malls are for middle class folk. And I will agree with you that Oxnard is not the king of diversity, and I will agree it has alot of crime.
But Oxnard's crime is going down and also the average medium income has gone up. You can't exactly say how much the people with the average income are spending.
Also, User ID I am wondering where you were raised? I was born and raised a while in Oxnard, but for the majority of my life I was in a rural town. And I can relate to the life of the Conejo Valley because I have friend who moved here and was in Simi Valley all of her life.
The common positive factor in why people like Oxnard are the beach, the Hispanic festivities, the amount of shopping, and the downtown with nightlife and historic culture to it.
The common negative factor of Oxnard is not the large working middle class, but the un-intended result of more crime because of it.
Richer people in Camarillo, Ventura, Thousand Oaks, and Simi Valley have lead to less crime and better performance at schools. All though in Oxnard if you are rich enough you can just send your kid to private school and live in a wealthy neighborhood where crime is less like what Soon2besurprise and LadyKLO have done and they enjoy Oxnard because of their decision.
My parents had a choice of Oxnard or Camarillo. My dad chose the cheaper route to move to Oxnard and it ended up he didn't like the choice because even though our block was safe, the surrounding blocks had gang kids who caused some trouble. Our house was never broken into though. This was in the 90s where even North Oxnard had some crime. Now that crime has shifted away as home prices went up there, schools in the area like Rio Mesa got better, and more police protection is in that area.
I am not sure that I could live in Ventura or Thousand Oaks. Ventura seems to be too liberal for me and Thousand Oaks too rich for me. I knew a girl I liked and liked me while going to college at CSU Northridge, but she refused to date me because I didn't have bucks to spend on here. That was the end of that. I found the African-American and Hispanic girls I dated were far less concerned with money. I expect an Asian girl or African-American or Hispanic girl to be my wife someday. Out of all the white girls I've dated I never met one who I truly liked.
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