If you were considered a low income household, would you rather live in a high class or low class town?

Question

Im a single mother who is barely making it check to check and am in the low income class level. I have been blessed out of my socks to be able to have a great deal on my rent here in Santa Barbara California. There seems to be 2 classes of people here. The very rich, and the homeless. I am the poorest person I know. On 1 side, Im absolutley thankful I get to live in such a beautiful area. Im 2 blocks from the beach, the palm trees, the weather, its all fantastic. The city has culture, fun things to do, lots of great opportnities for my daughter. The flip side of it is, the people out here are different than we are, my daughter gets alot of pressure from upper class friends that are into material things, and life is just generally different and I feel like I stick out like a sore thumb. Sometimes I feel that we would feel better if we moved to an area that people our own class range and we could identify and blend better. My daughter wouldnt feel so different. I cant make up my mind!!

Answer 1

If possible, go for the better area,

first of all is safety, upperclass neighborhoods are 10 times safer than the lower class, (I come from a middle class neighborhood, but when I got married, and moved out, we couldnt afford anything but the lowest class neighborhoods, and sometimes it can be scary, more than anything I want to have a family and have children, but we are waiting until we can at least live in a nicer neighborhood,it's too dangerous otherwise.......)

2nd of all, it sounds like alot of your indescision comes from worrying about how you two are different compared to others, what will it teach your daughter, when you two move to a lower neighborhood, just because you don't "Fit in" with the upperclass? because of the fact that you two are so "Different" then the rest? one of the biggest problems in schools now, (well it's always been a problem) is that children have to "Fit in" and "Have what everyone else has, wear what everyone else wears"
how can you teach your daughter to be an individual, and teach her to "Be herself" and "Not worry about what others think" if you were to move, just because of what others view you two as?

3rd, like you said, there are so many oppurtunities for you daughter there, some people would give anything to live in a neighborhood such as that, and with all the fun things to do, being so near the beach, you and your daughter can spend so much time together, having fun, and doing things that doesnt require money, think of all the memories you two can build in a place such as that......

after all that, think about what you will have if you move to a lower class town, besides being able to "Blend in/fit in" ?

Answer 2

I'm curious as to what you consider "low income" in that area of CA. Here in PA, low income is maybe $20,000/year or less for a family of 4.

IMHO I would rather live with down-to-earth people of my own income class than the snottiest of the snotty! I can never relate to girls who carry $500 pocketbooks and look down on others who wear non-designer clothes. Besides, dh's 1985 truck might not fit in hahaha.

Best of luck to ya!

Answer 3

I would rather live in a place with people who are predominately from the lower class... it's easier tol live with and communicate with people who understand you and are experiencing the same struggles.

Answer 4

things that happen when your a kid will linger into adulthood. feeling inferior can last forever. are her upperclass friends really friends? you neglected to say what age she is, if she is really young, it will only get worse. is she happy living there? i think if you put yourself in her shoes, youll know what the answer is. good luck.

Answer 5

Money can't buy class