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I'm not referring to "middle class" neighborhoods with substantial low-income populations and higher than average crime rates. The other major East Coast cities have them. Places like Roslindale or Hyde Park in Boston, Bay Ridge or Jackson Heights in New York.
Does such a neighborhood exist in the District?
I mean, this is a very good question. Does DC have a middle class?
If you consider that the housing cost is higher than most 95% of the nation in DC, and the salary is up there with the highest earners besides the 1% of the 1% in the nation, then maybe the answer is no.
You can't make crime rates as an argument though. That's too easy. To compare NYC with DC, you not only have to see the population that lives in it, but you really do have to dive deep into the tri-state aspect of the DC with NYC having NJ next to it. There is not one way to determine this, because if you do, you'll find that DC crime offset the MD and Northern VA crime rate, but at the same time, NJ crime can add to the NYC crime rate. And we're not even dealing with the sq footage or population, income, and cost of living.
I think it's not really thought out question at the end, because what's low middle class inside of active DC can be upper middle class in the rest of the country.
Boston's standard of living is different than Chicago, and Philly. I mean, this isn't a simple thing that anybody can post with a simple post. They need to post data, and make sure those data has to be equalized before they do.
I'm loosely defining middle class as a neighborhood where a family can purchase a 3BR condo/house for 500k or less.
Keep in mind that the median incomes are much higher in DC and Boston than in NYC (from HUD, which determines housing affordability):
Boston AMI for family of four: $98,500
New York City AMI for family of four: $63,700
Washington DC AMI for family of four: $109,200
So a $500K house is plainly out of reach for a median family in NYC, but easily within reach for a median family in Boston or DC.
Keep in mind that the median incomes are much higher in DC and Boston than in NYC (from HUD, which determines housing affordability):
Boston AMI for family of four: $98,500
New York City AMI for family of four: $63,700
Washington DC AMI for family of four: $109,200
So a $500K house is plainly out of reach for a median family in NYC, but easily within reach for a median family in Boston or DC.
Just because it is a median family in DC, does not mean it shares much with the typical american median family. In fact there is likely not to be much in terms of commonalities for DC and Boston area median families, than say another city. The households typically have a better education, and more professional jobs.
DC, Boston, and SF/SV are much higher in terms of AMI than the rest of the country, but it should be noted, this is not necessarily because they are middle class, it is more as a result of professional/upper-middle class clustering in these three cities. This is not to say that this group does not exist in other cities, but these cities draw this group far more.
Think about it, DC is the national capital. Which means government, lobbying, and nonprofits. It is also home to IMF, World Bank, and numerous international NGOs.
Boston is the largest number of colleges in the country, but especially tier I research universities. It draws academics and research facilities.
SF/SV is the center of technology in the country.
All of these areas draw people with higher educational attainment. If you look at the data, it is 1,2, and 3 in terms of graduate school attainment, and in the top 4 in terms of bachelors. As such with so many in this group, it does result in higher median incomes from a statistical perspective. Where in these cities and surrounding counties it is not uncommon for 50%+ to have a bachelors, and in DC in particular for over 1/3 to have a graduate degree. The US as whole it is usually around 30% and 5% respectively.
Broad professional class clustering means demographically, these cities are very different than the rest of the country, or other cities for that matter. Yes, the median out here is higher. But these areas do not attract the median. In fact the median american would not be very competitive out here, taking they usually only have some college, not a bachelors, or graduate degree it takes to make it out here.
NYC, LA, and Chicago are in a different category, they are mega-cities, they have more of a broad middle class. SF, DC, Boston, and Seattle to to be honest...are the outliers.
As much as there has been inked spilled about DC falling behind in growth, one thing that has to be remembered, is how far ahead of the rest of the country DC actually is.
The thing is it is not evenly distributed, if you do not have a higher education credential...DC offers very little. Which is the problem for the natives. The better paying jobs require an education in most cases, and well, somebody who barely got through HS is very unlikely to get into these higher skilled jobs. The jobs they did once hold, no longer exist because of automation.
Keep in mind that the median incomes are much higher in DC and Boston than in NYC (from HUD, which determines housing affordability):
Boston AMI for family of four: $98,500
New York City AMI for family of four: $63,700
Washington DC AMI for family of four: $109,200
So a $500K house is plainly out of reach for a median family in NYC, but easily within reach for a median family in Boston or DC.
In what world is a 500k "easily within reach" for a family of four with an income of 109k?
Use a mortgage calculator. $500k is within the price range of somebody making $109k.
Or, I could live in the real world and understand that there are variables that mortgage calculators can't account for. With a set of perfect conditions e.g. one person household with perfect credit, low student loan debt and a 20% downpayment (which comes out to ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS), then yes, you can afford a 500k home with an income of 109k.
My wife and I make significantly more than that and we've determined 500k to be at or around our upper limit. We have two children under the age of five and are currently spending roughly 30k/year on pre-school/daycare in a much less expensive city. So, no, I do not believe a family of four can easily afford a 500k home on an income of 109k.
I think of much of PG county as being the real "middle class"/working class area of DC metro area. Some on this board will think it is overly ghetto and the schools have problems, but there are a lot of neighborhoods where you can still buy a reasonably affordable house.
I think of much of PG county as being the real "middle class"/working class area of DC metro area. Some on this board will think it is overly ghetto and the schools have problems, but there are a lot of neighborhoods where you can still buy a reasonably affordable house.
I think of much of PG county as being the real "middle class"/working class area of DC metro area. Some on this board will think it is overly ghetto and the schools have problems, but there are a lot of neighborhoods where you can still buy a reasonably affordable house.
PG, Charles County, Wheaton, and Gaithersburg are mostly middle class by typical American standards. So is most of Ward 4, even though that is changing with gentrification and inversion.
Like I said, DC and Boston fall very outside the norm for most cities. So what is below median for the area, by any other standard is middle class.
I'm pretty sure the OP doesn't want to live in west bubble***k. So Charles county is definitely eliminated as well as Prince William county in VA. I think Greenbelt, College Park, and Silver Spring/Takoma Park are good areas to look into.
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