Would a black middle class family be accepted in OC today? (Santa Ana: crimes, neighborhood)

[SarWillMV]

Hi 👋🏼 my husband is black and I’m Filipino/Mexican. We have owned our home in Mission Viejo for 6 years now and have been very happy. I have kids at all three levels of schools and they’ve all been very happy minus 1 issue with my high school daughter that the school squared away very quickly. I think you would be happy with south county, I’ve definitely seen an uptick in black middle class families here in the past few years as well as other minorities in general. Do we get strange looks sometimes? Sure we do but we just brush it off and don’t let others affect our happiness. For the most part everyone is very welcoming because at the end of the day it’s still CA after all.

[Forever Blue]

Originally Posted by kttam186290

You're gonna get "the eye" from people, no doubt, but it probably won't be from what you think of as White people (the blonde, blue eyed, Anglo-Nordic type), as the other posters have told you.

Orange County is only a plurality White, anymore. And most of those Whites live in South Orange County (Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, San Clemente). A few live in the north Orange County cities of Anaheim Hills, Yorba Linda and Brea still. And, keep in mind, many of Orange County's "Whites" are ethnic Whites and many are foreign (Persians, Arabs, Lebanese, Syrians, Armenians). A lot of these Ethnic Whites are very territorial about their communities and keeping them safe, no different than the Irish, Russians and Italians of yesteryear.

The only city with an Old Money, traditional WASP-Nordic/Anglo population is Newport Beach, I believe. But, even there, a lot of the Whites will be foreign or first-generation.

Together, though, Latinos and Asians make up the majority of Orange County now. And, they -- along with the Ethnic Whites --have no reservations about letting you know you aren't welcomed in their cities.

Here is a basic breakdown of the demographics of Orange County cities:

Anaheim -- majority Latino, some White (lots of Arabs)
Buena Park -- mixed Latino and Asian
Las Palmas -- majority Latino
La Habra -- majority Latino
Fullerton -- mixed Latino and Asian, some White
Irvine -- majority Asian, some Whites
Mission Viejo -- majority White, some Latinos and Asians
San Juan Capistrano -- majority White, some Asians
Rancho Santa Margarita -- majority White, some Asians
Santa Ana -- majority Latino
Garden Grove -- majority Asian
Fountain Valley -- mixed Asian and White
Westminster -- majority Asian
Los Alomitos -- mixed White and Asian
Costa Mesa -- mixed White and Latino
Seal Beach -- majority White
Cypress -- mixed Asian and Latino
Orange -- mixed Asian and Latino, some Whites
Newport Beach -- majority White (probably the WASPiest of all)
Dana Point -- majority White
Laguna Beach -- majority White
Laguna Niguel -- majority White, some Asians
San Clemente -- majority White
Huntington Beach -- majority White, some Latinos and Asians

OP, here's some other input you'll find informative which will also give you a good idea of these cities:


I've been going to the Fashion Island Mall in Newport Beach once every 1-3 yrs throughout the last 20 yrs & there's honestly no more Blacks now than I've first seen when I first started coming here, so that's a 20 yrs span. On any given visit, I'll see none most of the time or maybe 1 person/pair. This is the main or only mall in this city.

I've been going to the Irvine Spectrum in Irvine probably a total of 5-7 times spaced out over the past 20 yrs & again, I see either 0 mostly or maybe 1 Black person/pair. This is the main or only mall in this city.

And every once in a while, I'll been going to Laguna Beach where the shops are across from the beach along PCH. I might see 1 Black person every few visits.


So what does this tell us? No Blacks have really moved into these areas in the last 2 decades because you'd think I would see more at some point or another at the malls.

[Hiruko]

Originally Posted by Forever Blue

OP, here's some other input you'll find informative which will also give you a good idea of these cities:


I've been going to the Fashion Island Mall in Newport Beach once every 1-3 yrs throughout the last 20 yrs & there's honestly no more Blacks now than I've first seen when I first started coming here, so that's a 20 yrs span. On any given visit, I'll see none most of the time or maybe 1 person/pair. This is the main or only mall in this city.

I've been going to the Irvine Spectrum in Irvine probably a total of 5-7 times spaced out over the past 20 yrs & again, I see either 0 mostly or maybe 1 Black person/pair. This is the main or only mall in this city.

And every once in a while, I'll been going to Laguna Beach where the shops are across from the beach along PCH. I might see 1 Black person every few visits.


So what does this tell us? No Blacks have really moved into these areas in the last 2 decades because you'd think I would see more at some point or another at the malls.

"So what does this tell us?"

It doesn't tell us anything. A small African-American population has no bearing on whether or not an African-American family would be "accepted." Most Americans don't care anymore. They legitimately care more about one's character than anything else. Real racists are few and far between. It serves us well to remember that where the largest black populations were, was where there was the most black and white conflict and discrimination.

[Forever Blue]

Originally Posted by Hiruko

"So what does this tell us?"

It doesn't tell us anything. A small African-American population has no bearing on whether or not an African-American family would be "accepted." Most Americans don't care anymore. They legitimately care more about one's character than anything else. Real racists are few and far between. It serves us well to remember that where the largest black populations were, was where there was the most black and white conflict and discrimination.

I know, I wasn't technically answering the OP's question about being accepted, but giving a little more insight that's informative to know as well. I know I'd want to know something like this if I were moving to an area.

[mrsltd]

Originally Posted by Forever Blue

I know, I wasn't technically answering the OP's question about being accepted, but giving a little more insight that's informative to know as well. I know I'd want to know something like this if I were moving to an area.

Interesting. So you pick two of the "whitest" areas in the entire county and show that as a typical example of what a black person moving to Orange County can expect?

What's that about?

[Forever Blue]

Originally Posted by mrsltd

Interesting. So you pick two of the "whitest" areas in the entire county and show that as a typical example of what a black person moving to Orange County can expect?

What's that about?

I didn't purposely pick 2 of the "whitest" areas. I'm a HUGE shopping mall person myself & those are the malls I really like that just happen to be in the OC, simple as that. I'm the type of person who'll spend a few days in the state of MN mainly because I want to shop at the Mall of America that they say takes 2-3 days to walk through. So, I'm not picking & choosing certain cities over others. I personally & honestly don't know much about those other cities on that big list that that other poster listed because I'm not in those places like I am Newport Beach & Irvine & I ONLY go to those cities to solely go to those malls...I have no other reasons to go to those cities...don't know about other people. If NB & Irvine are the "whitest" ones as you say, so be it. I didn't talk about those 2 cities because of that at all.

(You can even search for another thread I started asking people if they've gone mall-hopping like how some people like bar-hopping, so it's ONLY & SOLELY about the malls for me in those 2 cities.

Oh, I do go SOLELY to Costa Mesa for the South Coast Plaza Mall & maybe to see a live performance every once in a while.)

[RudyOD]

Originally Posted by Forever Blue

I didn't purposely pick 2 of the "whitest" areas. I'm a HUGE shopping mall person myself & those are the malls I really like that just happen to be in the OC, simple as that. I'm the type of person who'll spend a few days in the state of MN mainly because I want to shop at the Mall of America that they say takes 2-3 days to walk through. So, I'm not picking & choosing certain cities over others. I personally & honestly don't know much about those other cities on that big list that that other poster listed because I'm not in those places like I am Newport Beach & Irvine & I ONLY go to those cities to solely go to those malls...I have no other reasons to go to those cities...don't know about other people. If NB & Irvine are the "whitest" ones as you say, so be it. I didn't talk about those 2 cities because of that at all.

(You can even search for another thread I started asking people if they've gone mall-hopping like how some people like bar-hopping, so it's ONLY & SOLELY about the malls for me in those 2 cities.

Oh, I do go SOLELY to Costa Mesa for the South Coast Plaza Mall & maybe to see a live performance every once in a while.)

Irvine and Newport Beach are actually very different places when it comes to demographics. Irvine is an incredibly diverse city, very international, whereas Newport Beach is really white. As a foodie I really see the difference in restaurant offerings...which is where Irvine blows it out of the water.

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I would say the comfort/inclusiveness level for a black family in OC will be highest in multicultural hotspots. Small cities like Cypress and La Palma (where I went to high school) are great, safe, diverse and family oriented. I had friends with roots in Ghana, Nigeria, Jamaica, Guyana and many mixed black/asian as well. Many of them seem to prefer hanging out in LA/Long Beach as to OC though. Whereas my Asian friends would gravitate towards Cerritos. Not all of them, but many.

Parts of Buena Park, Fullerton and Anaheim are good options too. Anaheim has an annual black history parade, cultural faire and a few soul/barbeque restaurants. Not sure if that matters to the OP or not.

In central OC, I would say Irvine, Tustin and possibly Orange might be good options.

In most of these cities there can be a huge demographic shift depending on the neighborhood. There are parts of Anaheim that are majority Latino, parts with a huge Arab / Middle Eastern presence, some older white neighborhoods etc. When I lived in Anaheim, I had neighbors from Somalia, Iraq, Vietnam, the Philippines etc.

Basically , I don't think the lack of black people in OC should hold the OP from moving here. Nonetheless , do some neighborhood shopping. OC is a not a monotonous place (unless we are talking about architecture). Each city and its neighborhoods have different vibes and personalities.

[alanadoodle]

I personally liked living in Orange County in my 20s. I'm biracial and didn't grow up there - but I grew up in Santa Barbara County so the smaller black population was something not new to me. I've lived in Orange and Laguna Hills. My youngest brother went to Villa Park Middle and High School, but I have no idea the racial makeup of the students. Orange seemed fairly diverse and the last time I visited The Block I saw more diversity than I'd seen in the decade prior. I wouldn't hesitate to move to Irvine if I had the opportunity! I'm now in Southern Maryland and I'm way more concerned with my kids being accepted here - and the black population is fairly high. It's just very racially divided here. Personally, I appreciate a diverse neighborhood.

[suziq38]

Your money speaks for you. If you can afford the home or homes, you can buy. Plain and simple. Color does not matter any longer. We moved to Fullerton in the early 70's. Things were different back then, but you could still buy any home you chose to if you had the money. Don't let gossip change your mind.

[Gaylord_Focker]

Originally Posted by FullBloodedWhiteMale

That's just you. The rest of us want to live with gun owners of the same religion and political party.

Have you heard of the south?