household income map of Boston area (Cambridge, Lynn: house prices, buyers, schools)

[Bettafish]

Basically, we can see

upper middle class: Winchester, Weston, Dover,...
typical middle class: Burlington, Natick, Needham...
lower middle class: Stoneham, Watertown, Braintree...
lower class: Lynn, south of Boston, Framingham...

Mixture of upper and middle: Arlington, Newton, Milton...
Mixture of everything: Melrose, Cambridge, Medford...

[bostongymjunkie]

Very difficult to consider Watertown as lower middle class. Maybe Quincy is a good example of that around here but certainly not by national standards.



Median income

Weston: 196
Winchester: 169

Natick: 122
Burlington: 118
Arlington: 108
Melrose: 106
Watertown 101
Stoneham: 101
Camb 103
Braintree: 96
Medford: 96
Weymouth 84

Quincy: 77

Lynn:56

[P Larsen]

The Melrose bits in orange are geographically dominated by commercial or schools and with densest housing being congregant senior housing high-rises.

[Bettafish]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

Very difficult to consider Watertown as lower middle class. Maybe Quincy is a good example of that around here but certainly not by national standards.



Median income

Weston: 196
Winchester: 169

Natick: 122
Burlington: 118
Arlington: 108
Melrose: 106
Watertown 101
Stoneham: 101
Camb 103
Braintree: 96
Medford: 96
Weymouth 84

Quincy: 77

Lynn:56

Yes. But we should not only look at averages, variances and the actual patterns of distribution are also important.
Often times the "taste" of a place is determined by its "lower end".

[thinkingotherthings]

With how house prices have soared these days, I have to assume that the median incomes of buyers this year is substantially higher than the median income of longer-tenured residents – and I expect that trend to continue into the future. I'm assuming these figures are household incomes? There's no way you can buy a decent house in any of these towns with those HHIs unless you have substantial wealth built up already.

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by Bettafish

Yes. But we should not only look at averages, variances and the actual patterns of distribution are also important.
Often times the "taste" of a place is determined by its "lower end".

True, but even applying this to Watertown for example, I don't see it as a lower middle class town. Even 30 years ago I wouldn't have. Now, if you talk about Weymouth you may be on to something.

[bostongymjunkie]

Originally Posted by thinkingotherthings

With how house prices have soared these days, I have to assume that the median incomes of buyers this year is substantially higher than the median income of longer-tenured residents – and I expect that trend to continue into the future. I'm assuming these figures are household incomes? There's no way you can buy a decent house in any of these towns with those HHIs unless you have substantial wealth built up already.

Yes

[Bettafish]

Originally Posted by thinkingotherthings

With how house prices have soared these days, I have to assume that the median incomes of buyers this year is substantially higher than the median income of longer-tenured residents – and I expect that trend to continue into the future. I'm assuming these figures are household incomes? There's no way you can buy a decent house in any of these towns with those HHIs unless you have substantial wealth built up already.

Gradually most of the suburbs will be dominated by upper middle class (household income 150k+), just like the Bay area.

[msRB311]

Braintree is lower middle class? Sheesh.

[Bettafish]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Braintree is lower middle class? Sheesh.

I think it is more "middle" than "lower middle", but compared to Burlington, Natick etc. maybe it is leaning toward the lower end a little. Not the best example I suppose.