Would Boca be a good fit for my family? (Boca Raton: 2014, renting)

[jerseyshoremom]

We are currently living in NJ, wih two school age children. We are thinking of moving to the boca area because we hear the schools are some of the best in FL. We are blue collar, my husband is a boat captain and I am a hairstylist, with an income of about 120k. We would be renting with a budget of 1800/month. Just wondering if we would be comfortable living in Boca or if most of the people there would have a higher income than us. I am not concerned about my husband and I, but would not want my children to feel out of place at school with the other kids. Any input at all would be greatly appreciated!!!! Thank You

[THX 1138]

Do you have jobs lined up and guaranteed placement? Private schools are the best in Florida but there are some exceptions in certain cities where the quality is better but not at the standard in the Northeast.

$120K is probably average in parts of NJ, but have you research to see if you can get the same salary down here? If you can match your salary, I would say you could live quite comfortably if your happy with public schools, otherwise plan on a minimum of $10K/year for child for private school up to $20K+/year per child for St.Andrews or American Heritage in Boca.

[Swimmom32]

Keep in mind that car insurance is just as high as NJ and the COL is just as high accept for Property Taxes NJ is much higher than boca depending on what part and even that it wont be as high as NJ if your not on the water....Boca is a great place to live....We love it and been very happy with the schools and we are from NYC and lived in NJ for 10 years....Just be prepared if you are renting rents in Boca range and are quiet high so depending on your expenses u will have to see if the Salary will be enough..there is a great site cant remember it but it will give u the Cost of living for Boca and how much you have to make and personally since living here for almost 4 years I think they are a bit off and as the salary should be a bit higher....

Good Luck

[gregm]

< sarcasm >Everyone want's to live in Boca, but not everyone who lives there want's you to live there. < /sarcasm >

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by gregm

< sarcasm >Everyone want's to live in Boca, but not everyone who lives there want's you to live there. < /sarcasm >

Classic line!

The one stereo type that really needs to be address is that Boca is totally a wealthy area......it is not. There are trailer parks (Sandalfoot), a ghetto (Pearl City), scores of cheap condos (Sandalfoot, Century Village) and thousands of regular homes 1500-3000 sq ft that range in the 100's to 300's.

Country Clubs and Waterfront will obviously cost more/be wealthy areas but for every mansion there is a 1500 sq ft ranch home that is 40 years old and needs a little updating!

[THX 1138]

The Rat's Mouth for me = too much botox, multiple face lifts and a full glass of pretentious on the rocks.....

[Magnolia Bloom]

Originally Posted by City Guy997S

Classic line!

The one stereo type that really needs to be address is that Boca is totally a wealthy area......it is not. There are trailer parks (Sandalfoot), a ghetto (Pearl City), scores of cheap condos (Sandalfoot, Century Village) and thousands of regular homes 1500-3000 sq ft that range in the 100's to 300's.

Country Clubs and Waterfront will obviously cost more/be wealthy areas but for every mansion there is a 1500 sq ft ranch home that is 40 years old and needs a little updating!

Pearl City is not a ghetto. It is a Black neighborhood. It's not high-end, but I've been up and down every street in Pearl City in the day and at night and, while it doesn't have high-end homes, there is nothing ghetto about it, unless the term ghetto is being used to equal Black. There are some sketchy-looking homes north of 20th and east of Dixie, but they are a street away from middle-income homes and even that area has well-kept properties next to more run-down places.

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by Magnolia Bloom

Pearl City is not a ghetto. It is a Black neighborhood. It's not high-end, but I've been up and down every street in Pearl City in the day and at night and, while it doesn't have high-end homes, there is nothing ghetto about it, unless the term ghetto is being used to equal Black. There are some sketchy-looking homes north of 20th and east of Dixie, but they are a street away from middle-income homes and even that area has well-kept properties next to more run-down places.

Definition of Ghetto: A ghetto is a part of a city in which members of a minority group live, especially because of social, legal, or economic pressure

From Wikipedia: Pearl City, Boca Raton FL
Pearl City, and the adjourning community of Lincoln Court, as well as the Dixie Manor housing projects, are classified as low-income because of high levels of poverty. This is also where the majority of the city's black population lives. Subsequently, the Boca Raton Police Department held an investigation in the 1980s, after identifying the area for being a drug trafficking hub.[2]


Yeah, I got it wrong......