Is Jacksonville really this affluent now? (Miami: low income, lease, high crime)

[jsimms3]

I'm guessing your friends live in Pablo Reserve? Just a hunch

[fsu813]

This might be helpful. It's a bit out of date now (obviously, 2009) but gives a good snap shot.

[markhunt]

Originally Posted by CanesFan81

I moved down here from Miami about a year ago and I am taken back by how many Range Rovers, Mercedes S550s and BMW 7 Series I see roaming the streets here every day. I mean its as if these cars are as common as Honda Civics here(Just like Miami). When did this type of culture hit Jacksonville? When I visited 10 years ago it was full of pickup trucks. I know Jacksonville is a developing city, but have incomes increased that much as to where I'm seeing luxury cars, Starbucks, and upscale neighborhood developments in abundance everyday? If so, looks like I need to change occupations! What do you guys think about this?

I would say for a majority in the area, it's the "Thirty Thousandaire Syndrome".

Urban Dictionary: thirty thousandaire

Faking Rich, Being Poor...The Thirty Thousand Dollar Millionaire - Associated Content from Yahoo! - associatedcontent.com

Top American Wealth Centers Clustered In California - Business News - Portfolio.com

Us Wealth Centers - Interactive Features - Portfolio.com

The Richest Counties in America - TheStreet

The Richest Counties in America - Newsweek


USA (http://www.stockmarketdigital.com/sectors/nasdaq-usa/usa-s-top-10-wealthiest-states-median-income - broken link) <-- Top Wealthiest States

[jsimms3]

A few things:

FSU, that map has the highest bracket starting at $175,000 for a single family home, which is basically the Jax median. That doesn't say anything. I would find a map with a $500K or $750K cutoff, which would eliminate a lot of red on there that doesn't need to be on there. If you notice there is white space along the river because those properties often far exceed the max $773K top value given.

Also markhunt, your Thirty Thousandaire was probably invented in S FL or Orlando, as that culture is prevalent there. You can't take your links seriously because 3 of them state the obvious (though I would add the NE as an overall wealth center along with coastal CA), 2 of them are tongue in cheek, and the interactive wealth centers map leaves off every truly wealthy area in the country and goes for nuveau rich places that really don't even have "that" much wealth.

And not to get political, but isn't it sad when all of the wealthiest counties surround the capital? Our government sure does provide a cushy safety net and pays pretty well. I would rather see more wealth and safety nets around private business hubs.

[CanesFan81]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

I appreciate a sense of loyalty. To a spouse - to family - to friends - even to a college football team. Can we shake hands and be friends? Robyn

Sure. No sense in having beef with a person I've never met before. I call a truce!

[CanesFan81]

Originally Posted by abvavgjoe

I understand exactly what he means. In other words, it's a little less backwoods and a little more cosmopolitan. A change I welcome.

Thats exactly what I meant. Since I live here now, these sites are a welcome sight as well.

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by jsimms3

I just feel like spouting a name or two and some history, so here goes it for all of those who are interested (and if you want to know more about goings on in Jacksonville and power players, get involved! and you should probably move to Ortega, San Marco, or Ponte Vedra since that's where everyone resides )

OK, speaking of private planes...I first checked to make sure it was impossible to look up their address, and it is, but I sold Cutco to them a long time ago and their kids went to a rival school of mine, so I know they live here on the First Coast:

Martin Siegel - the movie Wall Street and the book Den of Thieves is loosely based off of him and some of his trading buddies, and he still commutes (as does his wife) via plane (I'm pretty sure private) to NYC. I think their house might be for sale soon, so maybe they're leaving. (Robyn, there are other Siegels in your neighborhood unrelated FYI...big Jewish family, perhaps you know who I'm talking about?)...

And a locally prominent heir of J&J, Jennifer Johnson, is very active in the community and has opened 2 very successful galleries. She used to live in Avondale and moved out to the beach, and as soon as that happened her old house was definitely used as a party spot ...

I never met Martin Siegel - but ran across his wife a fair number of times when I was playing tennis. Perhaps he is thinking of selling his house because the statute of limitations has run on the possible civil claims against him?

FWIW - Jennifer Johnson's brother is the sculptor J. Seward Johnson (a noted but out-of-favor realistic sculptor) - who has had exhibitions in JAX at the Cummer and in the grassy area in the center of JAX Beach next to the ocean. And her gallery is probably the best gallery in the metro area (both in terms of the space and the art that's usually exhibited there). Well worth a visit.

The place where I'm most likely to see famous people is at the TPC when I'm playing golf. Although I often don't recognize them (especially the rock stars). OTOH - it was easy to recognize Bill Clinton . Robyn

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by fsu813

A DuPont recently moved into my neighborhood, as a matter of fact.

Sometimes you have to be careful with "Names". A fellow named Guggenheim opened a gallery in Miami - claimed to be related to Peggy. I recognized the guy at his first opening. He was a hairdresser at Burdines (my hairdresser had the chair next to his)! Told some friends to stay away from him. They did - and avoided losing money when he skipped town owing money to lots of people. Then - amazingly - he was hired as the head of a ballet company in the Tampa area - and he apparently fleeced them too. Guess they never checked out his background .

I wouldn't associate wealth with being "progressive".

I don't think there's a positive or negative correlation. Just look at the recent election in Washington over a state income tax. Bill Gates in favor - Steve Ballmer opposed. OTOH - in certain professions - like the arts and the MSM - and in certain places - like Hollywood - liberals tend to dominate. Robyn

[fsu813]

Originally Posted by jsimms3

A few things:

FSU, that map has the highest bracket starting at $175,000 for a single family home, which is basically the Jax median. That doesn't say anything. I would find a map with a $500K or $750K cutoff, which would eliminate a lot of red on there that doesn't need to be on there. If you notice there is white space along the river because those properties often far exceed the max $773K top value given.

It shows a snap shot of what areas are generally middle income & above (way above), and which are not. Obviously the more solid the orange/red, the higher concentration of middle-class & above homes. Yellow/orange is a decent middle class mix aka diversity, and blue and green = lower income areas.

Value maps, rather deatiled such as this, are hard to find (though flawed as it is)!

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by markhunt

I would say for a majority in the area, it's the "Thirty Thousandaire Syndrome".

Urban Dictionary: thirty thousandaire

Faking Rich, Being Poor...The Thirty Thousand Dollar Millionaire - Associated Content from Yahoo! - associatedcontent.com

Top American Wealth Centers Clustered In California - Business News - Portfolio.com

Us Wealth Centers - Interactive Features - Portfolio.com

The Richest Counties in America - TheStreet

The Richest Counties in America - Newsweek


USA (http://www.stockmarketdigital.com/sectors/nasdaq-usa/usa-s-top-10-wealthiest-states-median-income - broken link) <-- Top Wealthiest States

Could also be the hundred thousandaire syndrome. We have a friend who's a golf pro. He gave it up to become a financial advisor for a major firm. He told us that when he went to peoples' houses (and we're talking about expensive houses) - and he sat down to figure out investment strategies - he couldn't do it for many many people. Because they had negative net worths (and this was before the housing crash). All the cars were leased - all the furniture (what there was of it) was bought on time from Rooms to Go - credit cards max'd out - etc. The best advice he could give these people was to pay off 18% credit card debt (because he couldn't guarantee 18% returns). He quit after a while - wound up with a really good management job in the golf industry .

I have to admit that I was pretty naive when I first moved here. Although I came from Miami - the people who lived in our condo were mostly wealthy south Americans who paid for things in cash - and successful professionals (also - this was before housing prices went into the stratosphere). I would go to tennis lunches here in million dollar+ houses (which ours is not) - and listen in amazement as women planned very cheap vacations (discussing how to save money by staying with relatives they barely knew).

I don't care if people have more or less money. I just think they should live within their means (with the occasional splurge - not paid for on credit). I guess that is a pretty old-fashioned view these days. If you want to see something kind of pathetic - go to the Retirement forum here. There are a large number of baby boomers around my age who have saved zero - zip - zilch - for their retirement (some have had unfortunate employment things happen to them in recent years - but many just failed to plan). I recommend that 20 year olds who are thinking of leasing a lifestyle that they can't afford lurk there for a while. Might change your mind about what you plan to do for the next 40 years. Robyn