Which Northeast city would be best for a black middle class family? (live, populations)
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^I think affordability is the big thing in terms of Boston. Besides that, I think more and more folks would consider it. As mentioned, it had the highest black population growth by percentage out of any major Northeastern metro area(I believe even if you include Baltimore and DC) between 2010-2020.
As mentioned, it had the highest black population growth by percentage out of any major Northeastern metro area(I believe even if you include Baltimore and DC) between 2010-2020.
Worth noting that most of that growth was foreign born. The US born black population only had small increases.
Worth noting that most of that growth was foreign born. The US born black population only had small increases.
Do you have a source for that? Even so, it still counts.
I wouldn't be surprised if it is more of a mix than realized and in the case of other metros in the region that had growth in their black population, it is likely to have some degree of diversity that accounts for the growth. For instance, for metros in the region with at least 1 million people, Buffalo was a close second to Boston and it is a city that has gotten its share of refugees/immigrants from parts of Africa(and probably a little bit from the Caribbean), but has also gotten quite a few people from NYC and other cities. So, the growth there has some degree of diversity within it.
Besides, a few or so of these areas(Harrisburg, Syracuse, Trenton, etc.), do any of the others have any degree of predominantly black middle class areas? I believe that some of these other metros have areas that are middle class with at least a substantial black population, but I was curious if there are some that have been overlooked. Same in terms of those that are more mixed.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 11-30-2021 at 10:31 AM..
Most of the black middle class there is in Central Nyack just west of Nyack and South Nyack.
They actually went to high school at St. Joe's of Montvale, which is what some nearby NYers do for high schools. Meaning, they go to NNJ Catholic high schools with good football programs like Paramus Catholic, Bergen Catholic, Don Bosco Prep, St. Peter's in Jersey City, etc.
Rockland County in general has a pretty high black median household income of $80,998 (9.7% poverty rate, 2019 5 year census info). Places like Hillcrest, West Haverstraw, Pomona, Mount Ivy, Chestnut Ridge and Nanuet are some other places in the county with a substantial black middle class.
I would say PHL or NYC. NYC housing though is so expensive.
Philadelphia is way more affordable, while offering big city amenities. Mt. Airy within the city itself is a historic and highly regarded extremely diverse community in the city, with absolutely beautiful housing stock.
There are many communities within the city itself, and Philadelphia has some large middle class black communities in the suburban communities of Cheltenham/Elkins Park/Upper Darby/Drexel Hill,PA and Cherry Hill in NJ.
Wilmington is also a decent choice and has a sizable black community. I find DE to be somewhat boring though, IMHO and the schools in DE are not that good.
Harrisburg is also very affordable, and its Eastern suburbs are actually diverse (Colonial Park, Swatara and Susquehanna Twp). You would get the biggest bang for your buck here in terms of housing. 300k can get you a fairly new or updated single family home here.
But once you leave those inner burbs the black population drops dramatically.
You could also make a name for Newark and its suburban areas in North Jersey. But I am not familiar with specific areas. The downfall with NJ, is property taxes are insanely high.
In terms of the last bolded sentence, Carlisle, Steelton, Highspire and Middletown are other communities in the metro area with decent to high black populations. There are some sprinkled in the suburbs across the Susquehanna River and in Hershey/Derry Township to a smaller degree as well.
1) it's emotional and not based on logic. People are raised to hate Boston. In a way that part of being black, or being true o your race. In that way it's like religion, people will physically fight you about it. Keep in mind DavidWalker1962 came here literally just to say NOT Boston! and left. that was all he wanted to say.
2) when the media writes about it, it gets traffic and, so they keep writing about it, so it is a negative feedback cycle
3) white people agree with it because they can feel better than Boston. makes them feel less racist. Black People then get that white validation and they just know it must be true.
4) People in the sports arena have had a handful of racist incidents in Boston since ~2012 rather than realize people at a baseball game or hockey game in Boston aren't representative of Boston rather that they could be from anywhere in New England- it's just Boston and they're "from Boston"
5) People think the Boston slander should just roll off your shoulders and just because you're from someplace doesn't mean you have to like it or defend it. Damn the fact that it made you who you are and you choose to live there and all your family, mentors, and best memories are there. Doing so makes you "confused" Then they proceed to "educate" you on Boston. Because obviously, you're a Lost Negro, right?../s What they don't realize when you get this every couple fo months you're entire life its no longer welcome "advice" They don't have the perspective to understand that.
Yo...I was buying a ticket to go home, running late at Union Station in DC and a black woman asked if I was from Boston and I said yea. She then proceeded to tell me I had to live in the DMV to know what its like to" really be free" and asked if I had a white girlfriend, cant make this *** up.
6) So then the conversation becomes why doe s it keep happening in Boston? Well 1) athletes say it happens in other places but they won't name were and 2. because you keep egging the racist on by giving them clout and 3. even if it was ~4 incidents over the past 6 years. That's not a lot considering how many professional sporting events are in Boston.
7) They don't have conversations like the one we're having because attention spans are short and on the internet saying something is more important than it being true.
I remember Elle Duncan revealed she left Boston due to racism. but her one solid example was someone asked me and my husband if we were from Dorchester because we looked like we were from Dorchester-sure that's racist. But this was also in Watertown- Not in Boston. She also reported stares at the restaurant. But she said 'I'm not saying most Bostonians are racist, and I loved working at NESN-but....I had to leave.' She said she had other stories. I don't doubt she did because she doesn't mention any Boston neighborhoods, and she probably just wanted to go back to Atlanta.
At the same time, we have multiple black sports reporters like Michael Smith, Michael Holley, Kwani Lunis, Kyle Draper, Clevis Murray, Gary Washburn, A Sherrod Smith etc. who've been here for years and are out and about in Boston and root for the teams. Elles' comment to be true but they do ultimately cast doubts on the blackness of other reporters in the city.
I remember John Salley said players play well in Boston because there's nothing whatsoever to do but focus on basketball. Well, 1- how in the world would you think that's true? Seriously. There's nothing to do in one of America's premier cities because you're black? So what does John Salley think the 140,000 black people in Boston do?? and 2- I know multiple places where the Celtics go out and party today (2Twenty2, Bijou, Icon, Strega), Bill Russel literally OWNED a nightclub/lounge in Boston like 2 miles from the Garden..it still exists (Slades). Jayson Tatum's has gone there. So saying stuff that is literally not true (like Jay Williams congratulating us on hiring Ime Udoka as our first black coach...We've had 6- the most in the NBA) doesn't help either. Everyone in the comments goes crazy saying "Boston gonna Boston"
I don't want to beat this dead horse any longer but understand. My point is this:
In the modern-day racism in Boston is not seeing black storefronts downtown, lack of black formal establishments, lack of appreciation for black culture, and a wealth gap. That's really it. Everything else that comes with it from people outside of Boston is worse for you the individual.
In terms of 13224, its black population is more middle class and has a longer history of being so. Many live in the predominantly black working, middle class Salt Springs neighborhood, particularly in its eastern portion near Le Moyne College like this street view: https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0494...7i13312!8i6656
So, due to the dynamics, you get a wide range of student results, which can include black valedictorians that go to Ivy League schools. One currently is at Cornell and another in the past graduated from Harvard and later Northwestern's Medill School of Communications. Some alumni: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorsey_Levens
The other 2 are a mixed bag with 60 having a working class at best black MHHI at $30,833, but a black poverty rate of 15.2%. Tract 61.3 has a more lower middle class black MHHI at $48,875, but a black poverty rate of 20.7%. Tract 60 is 42.7% black alone(49% inc. in combo) and Tract 61.3 is 21.9% black alone(25.3% inc. in combo) according to 2020 1-year census information. https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table...NNIALPL2020.P1
So, there is a way to breakdown information in relation to a black population within a middle class or any census tract using the census information available.
Just to add, but the streetviews just above the bolded line of neighborhoods in the previous post are in Census Tract 36.02. It is 53% black alone(58.1% inc. in combo), has a black alone MHHI of $52,216 and the black alone poverty rate is 7.6%. So, census tract 46 with its decent sized black population and high MHHI/low black poverty rate is right next to this predominantly black, low black poverty rate and relatively middle class black MHHI census tract 36.02. Some tract 36.02 information: https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table...ST5Y2019.S1903
So, this data, along with the previous information about the 13224 zip code, illustrates that Syracuse's outer East Side may be an area to consider if looking for an affordable area with a substantial black middle class. As mentioned, it spills over into adjacent parts of the town of DeWitt as well and has been this way for decades.
Also, the census literally just changed their format. So, to do this, select a place and click on filters. From there, select Geography and pick the tract by state, then county level. After that, go to topics and there you can pick Income and Poverty and/or Populations and People for racial demographics for that tract or whatever level you want to look into.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 12-02-2021 at 02:31 PM..
So, these are a couple more examples of how it may be important to look at more specific numbers.
I'll try to do something similar for the other cities on the list later.
On a side note, when looking at the national figures, Tract 61.3 in Syracuse's South Valley neighborhood still has a higher black MHHI than the national black figure of $43,862 and a slightly lower black poverty rate than the national black rate of 21.2%. So, those national figures can help put some of the information into proper perspective. https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table...ST1Y2019.S1903
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 12-03-2021 at 09:19 AM..
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