Socio-economically diverse cities in CA (Los Angeles, San Diego: rent, condos, home)

[jzt83]

I currently live in SF and find that this city has a narrow range of people for a city its size with a seemingly bimodal income distribution with lots of rich and poor but little middle class. The city has very few immigrants that aren't from China or Mexico. I'd like to live somewhere in CA, preferably within 30 miles of the coast, that's diverse and more integrated in terms of economic status, race, ethnicity, nationality, and lifestyles. What cities do you recommend?

[bhcompy]

California is one of the most self-segregated places in the US. It will be very hard to find what you're looking for. I'll throw Long Beach out there for starters, but there are some predominant cultural areas there(Cambodians and blacks). It is a large city though, and I find the eastern suburbs and the coastal areas(downtown, Belmont Shore, Naples, etc) to be fairly diverse. Good mix of cultures, mostly younger people, mixed gay/straight population, and various economic classes.

[jzt83]

I've only been to Long Beach a few times and never really though much of it. I should visit the area again when possible. What about all the ships in the harbor? Don't they spew high levels of particulate matter into the air increasing health problems for the residents of Long Beach?

[bhcompy]

The Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are west of town. The parts of the city that I spoke of are on the east side, and the breeze coming off the ocean is from a different direction than the port as well.

[uptown_urbanist]

What part of San Francisco are you in now? Have you considered the Central or Outer Richmond - they're by the ocean, have economic and ethnic diversity (a lot of Russians, in addition to Chinese, etc., plus I hear plenty of other languages as well) and a range of lifestyles. Not as big a move as you're looking for, perhaps, but it might be the ticket if you have to stick closer to home for the time being.

[dreamerman]

I would say Long Beach and Los Angeles. That's just my perspective though.

[Dean Trails]

Originally Posted by jzt83

I currently live in SF and find that this city has a narrow range of people for a city its size with a seemingly bimodal income distribution with lots of rich and poor but little middle class. The city has very few immigrants that aren't from China or Mexico. I'd like to live somewhere in CA, preferably within 30 miles of the coast, that's diverse and more integrated in terms of economic status, race, ethnicity, nationality, and lifestyles. What cities do you recommend?

The reason is that the rich can afford the cost of living and the poor don't have to. The middle class just gets up and moves!

Can you be a little more specific on the "diversity" you need?

Charles would ask what do you do for a living?

Can you work from home in your jammies and earn $200 K a year? If so do you need an assistant?

My favorite town is still San Luis Obispo but it probably doesn't have the diversity you are looking for.

Thousand Oaks is getting good press as it is very safe, close to all the amenities, nice weather and job opportunities.

And, almost forgot the old favorite, San Diego and surrounding environs.

[skywalker400]

Originally Posted by jzt83

I currently live in SF and find that this city has a narrow range of people for a city its size with a seemingly bimodal income distribution with lots of rich and poor but little middle class. The city has very few immigrants that aren't from China or Mexico. I'd like to live somewhere in CA, preferably within 30 miles of the coast, that's diverse and more integrated in terms of economic status, race, ethnicity, nationality, and lifestyles. What cities do you recommend?

Uhh San Francisco probably has one of the most diverse ranges in immigrants in California, it elsewhere thats its dominated more so by those two groups. Oakland has some diverse neighborhoods, check out Temescal/North Oakland. Most East Bay suburbs along 880 and 80 are pretty mixed too. Sacramento has a diverse population being an affordable medium sized city, but its quite a bit inland.

[18Montclair]

Sacramento.

Being from the Oakland (where the median family income for whites is $100,000+), I wasnt accustomed to seeing middle class much less poor white people-I just assumed that whites who are middle class are really poor. Just stupid I know but I was taught reality in Sac.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by jzt83

I currently live in SF and find that this city has a narrow range of people for a city its size with a seemingly bimodal income distribution with lots of rich and poor but little middle class. The city has very few immigrants that aren't from China or Mexico. I'd like to live somewhere in CA, preferably within 30 miles of the coast, that's diverse and more integrated in terms of economic status, race, ethnicity, nationality, and lifestyles. What cities do you recommend?

I forgot to add Hollywood. The neighborhood is changing, but has a blend of rich, poor, and middle class people. We lived along the Yucca Corridor (a block north of Hollywood Blvd's Walk of Fame) and it is very diverse from an ethnic standpoint, too. In fact my all-time favorite voting story comes from there: everyone from all backgrounds in line, the poll workers from all over the world (as well as American), and after I fed my ballot into the machine everyone clapped and an old guy with a heavy Russian accept gave me my sticker. It really felt like it meant something. In any case, it's the most diverse place I've ever lived in terms of both economic and ethnic/nationality diversity. Not sure exactly what you mean by lifestyles, but in Hollywood anything goes. Literally. The people below us slept in coffins, and our neighbors included people who worked as characters at the Chinese Theater. My husband and I had less exotic office day jobs. There weren't a lot of families, but there were some. There's rent control in the older buildings, so presumably some of the economic diversity will continue even as more and more rich people move into the new luxury condos dotted around. Hollywood's not for everyone, but if you want diversity of all sorts you can certainly find it there.

Yucca Corridor, Los Angeles, California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia