Moving to University Heights (Cleveland, Mentor: income, versus, wealthy)

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by TheProf

^All the comments are pretty on target... UH is a very pleasant little suburb right in the core of the Heights area. Crime is low and the only thing that may be a bother are the college kids, although JCU is a quality, moderate-size campus with a lot of clean-scrubbed Catholic kids. The college "strip" such that it is, is a moderate complex of about 2-3 restaurants/grills, a CVS and a couple doctor's offices... Houses are solid -- it's an upper middle class suburb generally... And the Green Line Rapid Transit line in Shaker is about a half-mile walk either down Belvoir or Warrensville.

not upper middle class, unless you consider per capita income of 30k "upper middle class." Maybe you're talking about the few blocksright by JCU or on Beachwood border.

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

not upper middle class, unless you consider per capita income of 30k "upper middle class." Maybe you're talking about the few blocksright by JCU or on Beachwood border.

Those stats are meaningless... Look at the quality of homes and the white-collar nature of employment.... Middle class suburbs are: Mentor, Garfield Hts., Parma or Euclid. UH is, at worst, middle/upper middle class.

[Cleverfield]

How are we defining middle class here? I always thought that it purely had to do with income, but Prof, you're saying it has to do with profession as well?

[TheProf]

I'm not saying it is separate from income, but I'm often skeptical of average income figures... Like I said, I will conceded middle/upper-middle class for UH. I do tend to look more at housing quality and the professions of residents, and I think it's pretty clear that UH is overwhelmingly a white collar community.

[L2DB]

IMO, UH is solidly middle-class. I wouldn't give it any part of Upper.

Edit: Also, Mentor is on the high side of Middle class (verging on upper/middle) and Parma/Euclid are on the low side of middle class. IDK about Garfield Hts. FWIW.

[bjimmy24]

hahaha wow. I've never heard anyone say UH is upper middle class. Now it's upper just because the people take good care of their property? I don't think it's clear that UH is a white collar community. It's pretty mixed actually. I have friends and family there. None of them work in an office. Anecdotal, sure, but it just seems like you haven't spent much time there.

[TBideon]

Euclid is middle class? Maybe pre mid-90s, and even that's a stretch.

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

not upper middle class, unless you consider per capita income of 30k "upper middle class." Maybe you're talking about the few blocksright by JCU or on Beachwood border.

The city is economically diverse. The household income of $72,000 and family income of $88,000 is in the ballpark of some definitions of "upper-middle class." Regardless there is most definitely a large chunk residents that would qualify regardless of definition.

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by L2DB

IMO, UH is solidly middle-class. I wouldn't give it any part of Upper.

Edit: Also, Mentor is on the high side of Middle class (verging on upper/middle).

Perception versus reality:

Per Capita Income (2009)
Mentor: $30,353
University Heights: $29,817

Household Income (2009)
Mentor: $61,622
University Heights: $67,051

Family Income (2009)
Mentor: $73,140
University Heights: $87,088

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

hahaha wow. I've never heard anyone say UH is upper middle class. Now it's upper just because the people take good care of their property? I don't think it's clear that UH is a white collar community. It's pretty mixed actually. I have friends and family there. None of them work in an office. Anecdotal, sure, but it just seems like you haven't spent much time there.

I agree it's mixed...but there's undeniably a not insignificant swath of the city that consists of upper-middle class residents.