Maybe, for this time of year you want to visit the desert instead of the mountains.Or take a vacation along the coast. Or islands – like Catalina off the coast of Southern California or one of the Hawaiian Islands.
Photo: Visual Hunt
You may just decide to live there for six months and somewhere else for the other.In the mountains for skiing and snowboarding and then at the beach for surfing and sun bathing.
It may begin with a vacation to a friend’s favorite destination.
Maybe it’s someplace where you’ve never been before.
Where do you find neighborhoods with similar families?
For your first time you’ll want to figure out your route and itinerary.
Usually you have a region in mind, with some ideas where you might want to visit.
Western United States – Texas A&M Transportation Institute
You may start with a map of a region within the West or of Hawaii.
You can start saving bookmarks about potential places, to revisit later.
Or you recall a trip you took out west a few years ago.
From California to Nevada and Arizona.
Up to Colorado and back through Utah and Nevada to your return to California.
A name rings a bell when you read an article in a file saved years ago that you stumble across while cleaning up your office.
It lists the top places for retiring published by AARP – Loveland, Colorado.
You spend a little time on the Internet and discover, it’s been singled out as a great place to retire on the water.
In 2009 it was singled out as a best place to live.
Colorado Regions
You recall the fun you had hiking through the nearby Rocky Mountain National Park.
What were the names of some of those other places you saw on the way?
You wonder if Loveland is right for you?
After all, US News & World Report ranked it 7th on their top 10 places to live in 2009; right ahead of San Luis Obispo, California and behind front runner Albuquerque, New Mexico, # 3 Austin, Texas and #4 Boise, Idaho.
Now you’ve got your work cut out for you. Follow these 11 steps to turn your dreams into your dream home. Let’s use Loveland as an example:
1.I recommend beginning with Wikipedia and WikiTravel for a quick summary, local history some pictures and the zip code or zip codes.You’ll see a map of the state, a subset of that map for it’s county.WikiTravel profiles vacation attractions – directions and transportation, where to stay overnight, where you should eat and play.It gives you ideas for visiting local attractions and doing more when you consider a broader vicinity.So you can plan for a long weekend or a one or more week vacation.
2.If you aren’t interested in Loveland you can stop there and consider San Luis Obispo next.Maybe, for this time of year you want to visit the desert instead of the mountains.Or take a vacation along the coast. Or islands – like Catalina off the coast of Southern California or one of the Hawaiian Islands. But, if you like lakes and rivers, then Loveland may be worth further investigation.
3.For our purposes, we are assuming that you really want to move, invest in, work in, start a business or retire in a new community that doubles as a vacation resort and with pristine quality of lifestyle activities.Otherwise, why bother?
4.So, grab the zip code and go to Google and search on the 5 digits.You’ll find a map which will show you where this destination is in relation to its surrounding area.You see photo slide shows and videos of the area.You can switch to satellite views and hybrid map views.
5.Still believe this town may be a keeper?Jump to Claritas to check out the types of people who already live in the neighborhoods. “Birds of a Feather Flock Together.”Neighborhoods change slowly.They attract the same kinds of people over time.If you plan to move, invest, work, start a business or retire, you’ll want to see if residents match your criteria.
8.Let’s say you’ve compared and narrowed your search for real estate investments.Check out City-Data for in-depth demographics and regional, county and zip code statistics – including the number of registered sex offenders.
9.If you plan to move, you should search by zip code on Weather Underground to find a wealth of weather patterns including tornadoes, hurricanes and other disasters for each season, but especially for January and June to determine just how inviting your new vacation resort will be.You may just decide to live there for six months and somewhere else for the other.In the mountains for skiing and snowboarding and then at the beach for surfing and sun bathing.
10. Need a job?Check the openings by zip code from two Internet sites – Indeed and Simply Hired.You’ll want to take a couple of job hunting or house hunting trips before your final decision.Make a vacation of it by returning to WikiTravel to line up the best accommodations, or visit My New Place for a listing, map and photos of rentals by zip code.
11.We know that the best positions are hidden.You find them by a chain of referrals and introductions.How do you create a new network?Use your zip code and key word description of the town in LinkedIn’s advanced search function and begin contacting the first few of 100 local introductions.
These lifestyle descriptions are intended to paint a picture of a new neighborhood you’d enjoy, because you share some of the same traits with current residents.
Photo: Visual Hunt
For our purposes, we are assuming that you really want to move, invest in, work in and around, start a business or retire in a new community that doubles as a vacation resort with pristine quality of lifestyle activities. Otherwise, why bother?
Here’s what we know already.
Neighborhoods change slowly.
“Birds of a Feather Flock Together.”
They attract the same kinds of people over time.
You’ll want to see if current residents match your criteria.
We’ve already done the heavy lifting for you: identifying neighborhood characteristics by age and the stage of life of their residents.
Single (20-29, 25-54, or 30-44).
Couple (55+ or 65+).
Family (20-44, 25-54, 35-54).
Mid-Lifers (30-44).
Empty Nests (45+).
Baby Boomers (55+).
Seniors (65+).
And, we’ve compared neighborhoods by population density.
From urban and suburban Wealthy Influentials and Permanent Temporaries to premier quality-of-life Wireless Resorters to pristine small town and rustic High Country Eagles.
So, if you want to narrow your focus to neighborhoods with, say, 25-54 year old families in Wireless Resorts, then you can find a list that suits you best.
With the help of our knowledge bank, you can choose for variations in your new neighborhood by:
Refer to 66 lifestyle segment descriptions grouped in sets of ten, beginning with the most affluent and ending with the least. You’ll see that we’ve identified a sample town where you’ll most likely find each lifestyle listed.
These lifestyle descriptions are intended to paint a picture of a new neighborhood you’d enjoy, because you share some of the same traits with current residents.
8) Sit down with your spouse, partner or friends and write-up your bucket list of places.
20) Pivot. Maybe the lists of best places don’t appeal to you. Where can you go to make a fresh, new start? Don’t limit your imagination. Think anywhere — across the globe. Where do you really, really want to live, work and play? Why not live where it’s a vacation all year round?
21) Spend the time to find the best place to live and invest. It will be worth your while. The great thing about living where others spend their vacation is the year round quality-of-life.
26) If you know the zip code you can discover the lifestyles living in the community. You can compare your profile with theirs to estimate your degree of fit.
27) Estimate how well suited you are for the resorts. Refer to “Profiles-at-a-Glance” comparing 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 for changes in Life Stages – Singles, Couples, Families, Midlife, Empty Nests, Baby Boomers and Seniors; Ages – 20-29, 25-54, 30-44, 45+ 45-65, 55+ and 65+; and mix of Lifestyles in neighborhoods. Does the resort still offer the age, life stage and lifestyle profiles you prefer?
We use Claritas / Nielsen PRIZM lifestyle segmentation profiles to evaluate best places for relocation to more authentic, quality-of-life communities.
And, if your community already includes the following profiles, you’ll have a better understanding of what’s going on in your neighbors’ lives.
2011 Statistics:
US Households: 11,533,179
Median Household Income : $43,123
Joining Rural Cowboy (HCERC), Resort Suburbans (WRRS) round out the remaining three segments in Middle America filled with middle-class homeowners living in small towns and remote exurbs.
“Typically found in scenic settings throughout the nation’s heartland, Middle Americans tend to be white, high school educated, living as couples or larger families, and ranging in age from under 25 to over 65.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Like many residents of remote communities, these conservative consumers tend to prefer traditional rural pursuits: fishing, hunting, making crafts, antique collecting, watching television and meeting at civic and veterans clubs for recreation and companionship.
Friday nights are for celebrating high school sports.”
Where will you find those three lifestyles?
Google Maps: Healdsburg, CA
We’ve identified two former exurban towns morphing into bedroom suburbs in California and one in Arizona:
Prescott. AZ
Healdsburg, CA
Idyllwild, CA
Which of the following lifestyles best describes you?
Resort Suburban (WRRS): “The residents in Red, White & Blues neighborhoods typically live in exurban towns rapidly morphing into bedroom suburbs.
Starbuck’s Signal Upscale Growth
Their streets feature new fast-food restaurants, and locals have recently celebrated the arrival of chains like Wal-Mart, Radio Shack and Payless Shoes.
Resort Suburbans (WRRS): “With more than two-thirds of its residents over 65 years old, Simple Pleasures is mostly a retirement lifestyle: a neighborhood of lower-middle-class singles and couples living in modestly priced homes.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Many are high school-educated seniors who held blue-collar jobs before their retirement.
And a disproportionate number served in the military; no segment has more members of veterans clubs.
Resort Suburbans (WRRS): “America was once a land of small middleclass towns, which can still be found today among Heartlanders.
Photo: Visual Hunt
This widespread segment consists of middle-aged couples with working-class jobs living in sturdy, unpretentious homes.
In these communities of small families and empty-nesting couples, Heartlanders pursue a rustic lifestyle where hunting and fishing remain prime leisure activities along with cooking, sewing, camping and boating.
Lifestyle & Media Traits
Shopped at Kmart
Sewed clothing from patterns
Read Family Handyman
Watched CBS Early Show
Drove a GMC Sierra Flex Fuel”
Will you find a 100% fit?
No.
These lifestyle descriptions are intended to paint a picture of a new neighborhood you’d enjoy, because you share some of the same traits with current residents.
26) If you know the zip code you can discover the lifestyles living in the community. You can compare your profile with theirs to estimate your degree of fit.
27) Estimate how well suited you are for the resorts. Refer to “Profiles-at-a-Glance” comparing 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 for changes in Life Stages – Singles, Couples, Families, Midlife, Empty Nests, Baby Boomers and Seniors; Ages – 20-29, 25-54, 30-44, 45+ 45-65, 55+ and 65+; and mix of Lifestyles in neighborhoods. Does the resort still offer the age, life stage and lifestyle profiles you prefer?
But to zero in on the best place for you you’ll have to visit and schedule time to explore potential new homes in a region.
Oh, darn!
Lifestyles Segments: Urban to Rustic Density
Country Communities
Photo: Visual Hunt
Claritas / Nielsen PRIZM estimated that country communities represented 39.6% of United States population in 2011.
“Town and Rural areas (T) have population density scores under 40.
This category includes exurbs, towns, farming communities, and a wide range of other rural areas.”
Should you include these Birds-of-a Feather (BOF) lifestyles on your Bucket List?
Let’s turn to three Wireless Resorters household lifestyles which share the same rustic, quality-of-life appeal of nature as it does for High Country Eagles:
We use Claritas / Nielsen PRIZM lifestyle segmentation profiles to evaluate best places for relocation to more authentic, quality-of-life communities.
And, if your community already includes the following profiles, you’ll have a better understanding of what’s going on in your neighbors’ lives.
2011 Statistics:
US Households: 13,401,489
Median Household Income : $31,343
As for High Country Eagles, Rustic Eagles, these remaining three (of the six) segments in Rustic America represent the nation’s most isolated towns and rural villages for Distant Exurbans.
“As a group, T4 residents have relatively modest incomes, low educational levels, aging homes and blue-collar occupations.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Many of the residents, a mix of young singles and seniors, are unmarried, and they’ve watched scores of their neighbors migrate to the city.
In their remote communities, these consumers spend their leisure time in such traditional small-town activities as fishing and hunting, attending social activities at the local church and veterans club, enjoying country music and car racing.”
Google Maps: Telluride, CO
Where will you find those three lifestyles?
We identified three resort communities where residents enjoy a more rustic quality-of-life away from population centers in Arizona, Colorado and Utah.
Which of the following lifestyles best describes you?
48Y3T4, Young and Rustic, 20-29, Striving Singles, Rustic Living, WRDE Distant Exurbans, Wireless Resorters (Park City, UT)
Distant Exurban (WRDE): “Like the soap opera that inspired its nickname, Young & Rustic is composed of young, restless singles.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Unlike the glitzy soap denizens, however, these folks tend to be lower-income, high school-educated and living in tiny apartments in the nation’s towns.
With their service industry jobs and modest incomes, these folks still try to fashion fast-paced lifestyles centered on sports, cars and dating.
Distant Exurbans (WRDE): “Golden Ponds is mostly a retirement lifestyle, dominated by downscale singles and couples over 65 years old.
Found in small bucolic towns around the country, these high school-educated seniors live in small apartments on less than $25,000 a year; one in five resides in a nursing home.
Photo: Visual Hunt
For these elderly residents, daily life is often a succession of sedentary activities such as reading, watching TV, playing bingo and doing craft projects.
Lifestyle & Media Traits:
Purchased in-home vitamins
Ordered garden supplies by phone
Read American Legion Magazine
Watched The Price is Right
Drove a Mercury Sable”
Will you find a 100% fit?
No.
These lifestyle descriptions are intended to paint a picture of a new neighborhood you’d enjoy, because you share some of the same traits with current residents.
8) Sit down with your spouse, partner or friends and write-up your bucket list of places.
20) Pivot. Maybe the lists of best places don’t appeal to you. Where can you go to make a fresh, new start? Don’t limit your imagination. Think anywhere — across the globe. Where do you really, really want to live, work and play? Why not live where it’s a vacation all year round?
21) Spend the time to find the best place to live and invest. It will be worth your while. The great thing about living where others spend their vacation is the year round quality-of-life.
26) If you know the zip code you can discover the lifestyles living in the community. You can compare your profile with theirs to estimate your degree of fit.
27) Estimate how well suited you are for the resorts. Refer to “Profiles-at-a-Glance” comparing 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 for changes in Life Stages – Singles, Couples, Families, Midlife, Empty Nests, Baby Boomers and Seniors; Ages – 20-29, 25-54, 30-44, 45+ 45-65, 55+ and 65+; and mix of Lifestyles in neighborhoods. Does the resort still offer the age, life stage and lifestyle profiles you prefer?
Friday nights are for celebrating high school sports.
Photo: Visual Hunt
These Americans tend to be young, working-class couples with large families-more than half have two or more kids-living in small homes and manufactured housing.
With the help of our knowledge bank, you can choose for variations in your new neighborhood by:
We use Claritas / Nielsen PRIZM lifestyle segmentation profiles to evaluate best places for relocation to more authentic, quality-of-life communities.
And, if your community already includes the following profiles, you’ll have a better understanding of what’s going on in your neighbors’ lives.
2011 Statistics:
US Households: 11,533,179
Median Household Income : $43,123
Three Rural Cowboy (HCERC) and another three (of the six) segments in Middle America are filled with middle-class homeowners living in small towns and remote exurbs.
“Typically found in scenic settings throughout the nation’s heartland, Middle Americans tend to be white, high school educated, living as couples or larger families, and ranging in age from under 25 to over 65.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Like many residents of remote communities, these conservative consumers tend to prefer traditional rural pursuits: fishing, hunting, making crafts, antique collecting, watching television and meeting at civic and veterans clubs for recreation and companionship.
Friday nights are for celebrating high school sports.”
Where in the West will you find those three lifestyles?
Google Maps: Coeur d’Alene, ID
We find three Rural Cowboy neighborhoods, one each in Arizona, Colorado and Idaho:
Surprise, AZ
Dillon, CO
Coeur d’Alene, ID
Which of the following lifestyles best describes you?
45Y3T3, Blue Highways, 20-29 Striving Singles, Middle America HCERC Rural Cowboy, High Country Eagles (Dillon, CO)
Rural Cowboy (HCERC): “On maps, blue highways are often two-lane roads that wind through remote stretches of the American landscape.
Among lifestyles, Blue Highways is the standout for lower middle-class singles and couples who live in isolated towns and farmsteads.
They like to hunt and fish, the women enjoy sewing and crafts, and everyone looks forward to going out to a country music concert.”
2011 Statistics:
US Households: 1,809,961 (1.55%)
Median Household Income: $43,023
Lifestyle & Media Traits:
Shopped at Wal-Mart
Owned satellite dish
Read Guns & Ammo
Watched auto racing
Drove Chevrolet Colorado“
50F3T3, Kid Country, USA, 25-54, Mainstream Families, Middle America – HCERCRural Cowboy, High Country Eagles (Coeur d’Alene, ID)
2011 Statistics:
US Households: 1,481,771 (1.27%)
Median Household Income: $42,166
Rural Cowboy (HCERC): “Widely scattered throughout the nation’s heartland, Kid Country, USA is a segment dominated by large families living in small towns.
Predominantly white, with an above average concentration of Hispanics, these young, these working-class households include homeowners, renters and military personnel living in base housing; about 16 – 20 percent of residents own mobile homes.
Lifestyle & Media Traits:
Ordered from oldnavy.com
Bought infant toys
Read Fit Pregnancy
Watched Nick at Nite
Drove a Nissan Titan Flex Fuel”
51F3T3, Shotguns & Pickups, 25-54, Mainstream Families, Middle America, HCERCRural Cowboy, High Country Eagles (Surprise, AZ)
2011 Statistics:
US Households: 1,873,167 (1.60%)
Median Household Income: $41,859
Rural Cowboy (HCERC): “The segment known as Shotguns & Pickups came by its moniker honestly: it scores near the top of all lifestyles for owning hunting rifles and pickup trucks.
These Americans tend to be young, working-class couples with large families-more than half have two or more kids-living in small homes and manufactured housing.
Nearly a third of residents live in mobile homes, more than anywhere else in the nation.
Lifestyle & Media Traits:
Shopped at Sears Hardware
Went camping
Read North American Hunter
Watched Outdoor Channel
Drove Ford F-Series”
Will you find a 100% fit?
No.
These lifestyle descriptions are intended to paint a picture of a new neighborhood you’d enjoy, because you share some of the same traits with current residents.
8) Sit down with your spouse, partner or friends and write-up your bucket list of places.
20) Pivot. Maybe the lists of best places don’t appeal to you. Where can you go to make a fresh, new start? Don’t limit your imagination. Think anywhere — across the globe. Where do you really, really want to live, work and play? Why not live where it’s a vacation all year round?
21) Spend the time to find the best place to live and invest. It will be worth your while. The great thing about living where others spend their vacation is the year round quality-of-life.
26) If you know the zip code you can discover the lifestyles living in the community. You can compare your profile with theirs to estimate your degree of fit.
27) Estimate how well suited you are for the resorts. Refer to “Profiles-at-a-Glance” comparing 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 for changes in Life Stages – Singles, Couples, Families, Midlife, Empty Nests, Baby Boomers and Seniors; Ages – 20-29, 25-54, 30-44, 45+ 45-65, 55+ and 65+; and mix of Lifestyles in neighborhoods. Does the resort still offer the age, life stage and lifestyle profiles you prefer?
Filled with young, single adults, New Beginnings is a magnet for adults in transition.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Many of the residents are twentysomething singles and couples just starting out on their career paths who live in communities attractive to older neighbors who may be starting over after recent divorces or job losses.
With the help of our knowledge bank, you can choose for variations in your new neighborhood by:
According to Claritas / Nielsen PRIZM, “The four segments in the Inner Suburbs social group are concentrated in the inner-ring suburbs of major metros—areas where residents tend to be high school educated, unmarried and lower-middle class.
Watching the People’s Court. Photo: Visual Hunt
One of the least affluent social groups, U3 has a high concentration of Hispanics and African-Americans, and surveys indicate a fondness for both ethnic and mainstream media and products.
Among the group’s preferences: TV news and daytime programming, Spanish and black radio, telephony services and pagers, cheap fast food and high-end department stores.”
Google Maps: Boulder, CO
Where in the West will you find those three lifestyles?
We’ve identified households in Arizona, California and Colorado:
Surprise, AZ
Santa Cruz, CA
Boulder, CO
Which of the following lifestyles best describes you?
“Filled with young, single adults, New Beginnings is a magnet for adults in transition.
Start Over (PTSO) : “Many of the residents are twentysomething singles and couples just starting out on their career paths who live in communities attractive to older neighbors who may be starting over after recent divorces or job losses.
Ethnically diverse-with nearly half its residents Hispanic, Asian or African-American-New Beginnings households tend to have the modest living standards typical of transient apartment dwellers.”
2011 Statistics:
US Households: 1,837,994 (1.57%)
Median Household Income: $31,226
Here are some examples from Claritas Lifestyle & Media Traits. They:
Start Overs (PTSO): “Suburban Pioneers represents one of the nation’s eclectic lifestyles, a mix of young singles, recently divorced and single parents who have moved into older, inner-ring suburbs.
They live in aging homes and garden-style apartment buildings, where the jobs are blue-collar and the money is tight.
But what unites these residents-a diverse mix of whites, Hispanics and African-Americans is a working-class sensibility and an appreciation for their off-the-beaten track neighborhoods.
Lifestyle & Media Traits:
Shopped at Lane Bryant
Bought mail order toys
Read OK! Magazine
Watched Sabado Gigante
Drove Dodge Charger”
46M3S4, Old Glories, 55+, Cautious Couples, Suburbs, Inner Suburbs, PTSO Start Overs, Permanent Temporaries (none in Knowledge Bank)
2011 Statistics:
US Households: 1,155,944 (0.99%)
Median Household Income: $31,162
Start Overs (PTSO): “Old Glories are the nation’s downscale suburban retirees, Americans aging in place in older apartment complexes.
These racially mixed households often contain widows and widowers living on fixed incomes, and they tend to lead home-centered lifestyles.
Photo: Visual Hunt
They’re among the nation’s most ardent television fans, watching game shows, soaps, talk shows and newsmagazines at high rates.
Start Overs (PTSO): “They may be older, lower-middle class and retired, but the residents of American Classics are still living the American Dream of home ownership.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Few segments rank higher in their percentage of home owners, and that fact alone reflects a more comfortable lifestyle for these predominantly white singles and couples with deep ties.
Lifestyle & Media Traits:
Ordered from Reader’s Digest
Gambled in Atlantic City, NJ
Read American Woodworker
Watched The Dr. Phil Show
Drove a Chevrolet Monte Carlo”
Will you find a 100% fit?
No.
These lifestyle descriptions are intended to paint a picture of a new neighborhood you’d enjoy, because you share some of the same traits with current residents.
8) Sit down with your spouse, partner or friends and write-up your bucket list of places.
20) Pivot. Maybe the lists of best places don’t appeal to you. Where can you go to make a fresh, new start? Don’t limit your imagination. Think anywhere — across the globe. Where do you really, really want to live, work and play? Why not live where it’s a vacation all year round?
21) Spend the time to find the best place to live and invest. It will be worth your while. The great thing about living where others spend their vacation is the year round quality-of-life.
26) If you know the zip code you can discover the lifestyles living in the community. You can compare your profile with theirs to estimate your degree of fit.
27) Estimate how well suited you are for the resorts. Refer to “Profiles-at-a-Glance” comparing 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 for changes in Life Stages – Singles, Couples, Families, Midlife, Empty Nests, Baby Boomers and Seniors; Ages – 20-29, 25-54, 30-44, 45+ 45-65, 55+ and 65+; and mix of Lifestyles in neighborhoods. Does the resort still offer the age, life stage and lifestyle profiles you prefer?
Having recently left college dorms, they now live in apartment complexes surrounded by ball fields, health clubs, and casual-dining restaurants.
Photo: Visual Hunt
The steady rise of older, healthier Americans over the past decade has produced one important by-product: middle-class, home-owning suburbanites who are aging in place rather than moving to retirement communities.
With the help of our knowledge bank, you can choose for variations in your new neighborhood by:
We use Claritas / Nielsen PRIZM lifestyle segmentation profiles to evaluate best places for relocation to more authentic, quality-of-life communities.
And, if your community already includes the following profiles, you’ll have a better understanding of what’s going on in your neighbors’ lives.
“These five segments that comprise Middleburbs share a middle-class, suburban perspective, but there the similarity ends.
2011 Statistics:
US Households: 7,192,186
Median Household Income : $50,281
“Two groups are filled with very young residents, two are filled with seniors and one is middle-aged.
Photo: Visual Hunt
In addition, S3 includes a mix of both, homeowners and renters as well as high school graduates and college alums.
With good jobs and money in their jeans, the members of Middleburbs tend to have plenty of discretionary income to visit nightclubs and casual-dining restaurants, shop at midscale department stores, buy dance and easy listening CDs by the dozen and travel across the U.S. and Canada”
Southwest United States – Wikitravel
Where in the West will you find those three lifestyles?
We’ve identified one in Arizona, two in California and one in Colorado:
Tempe, AZ
Santa Cruz, CA
Laguna Hills, CA
Lakewood, CO
Which of the following lifestyles best describes you?
Interim Middle Managers (PTIMM): “Once known as the home of the nation’s yuppies, Young Influentials reflects the fading glow of acquisitive yuppiedom.
Today, the segment is a common address for younger, middle-class singles and couples who are more preoccupied with balancing work and leisure pursuits.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Having recently left college dorms, they now live in apartment complexes surrounded by ball fields, health clubs, and casual-dining restaurants.
Interim Middle Managers (PTIMM): Blue-Chip Blues is known as a comfortable lifestyle for young, sprawling families with well-paying blue-collar jobs.
Ethnically diverse-with a significant presence of Hispanics and African-Americans-the segment’s aging neighborhoods feature compact, modestly priced homes surrounded by commercial centers that cater to child-filled households
Interim Middle Managers (PTIMM): “Suburban Sprawl is an unusual American lifestyle: a collection of midscale, middle-aged singles and couples living in the heart of suburbia.
Typically members of the Baby Boom generation, they hold decent jobs, own older homes and condos, and pursue cocooning versions of the American Dream.
Among their favorite activities are jogging on treadmills, playing trivia games and renting videos.
Interim Middle Managers (PTIMM): “The steady rise of older, healthier Americans over the past decade has produced one important by-product: middle-class, home-owning suburbanites who are aging in place rather than moving to retirement communities.
Photo: Visual Pursuit
Gray Power reflects this trend, a segment of older, midscale singles and couples who live in quiet comfort.
Interim Middle Managers (PTIMM): “Domestic Duos represents a middle-class mix of mainly over 55 singles and married couples living in older suburban homes.
Photo: Visual Hunt
With their high-school educations and fixed incomes, segment residents maintain an easy-going lifestyle.
Residents like to socialize by going bowling, seeing a play, meeting at the local fraternal order or going out to eat
Lifestyle & Media Traits:
Shopped at Kohl’s
Cruised on Norwegian
Read Smithsonian
Watched Live from Lincoln Center
Drove a Chevrolet Impala”
Will you find a 100% fit?
No.
These lifestyle descriptions are intended to paint a picture of a new neighborhood you’d enjoy, because you share some of the same traits with current residents.
8) Sit down with your spouse, partner or friends and write-up your bucket list of places.
20) Pivot. Maybe the lists of best places don’t appeal to you. Where can you go to make a fresh, new start? Don’t limit your imagination. Think anywhere — across the globe. Where do you really, really want to live, work and play? Why not live where it’s a vacation all year round?
21) Spend the time to find the best place to live and invest. It will be worth your while. The great thing about living where others spend their vacation is the year round quality-of-life.
26) If you know the zip code you can discover the lifestyles living in the community. You can compare your profile with theirs to estimate your degree of fit.
27) Estimate how well suited you are for the resorts. Refer to “Profiles-at-a-Glance” comparing 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 for changes in Life Stages – Singles, Couples, Families, Midlife, Empty Nests, Baby Boomers and Seniors; Ages – 20-29, 25-54, 30-44, 45+ 45-65, 55+ and 65+; and mix of Lifestyles in neighborhoods. Does the resort still offer the age, life stage and lifestyle profiles you prefer?
They include both the downtowns of major cities and surrounding neighborhoods.
Photo: Visual Hunt
It’s the most ethnically diverse social group, besides containing a mix of singles and couples, homeowners and renters, college alumnae and high school graduates.
With the help of our knowledge bank, you can choose for variations in your new neighborhood by:
But to zero in on the best place for you you’ll have to visit and schedule time to explore potential new homes in a region.
Oh, darn!
Lifestyles Segments: Urban to Rustic Density
Urban Centers
Like roughly 18.7% of United States population, according to Claritas / Nielsen PRIZM living in urban centers, three Portfolio Locals live in Uptown and three in Midtown metropolitan areas .
Photo: Visual Hunt
“Urban centers have population density scores between 85 and 99.
They include both the downtowns of major cities and surrounding neighborhoods.
These areas often extend beyond the city limits and into surrounding jurisdictions.”
Should you include these Birds-of-a Feather (BOF) lifestyles on your Bucket List?
Let’s turn to the the first set of three Wealthy Influential lifestyle profiles.
We use Claritas / Nielsen PRIZM lifestyle segmentation profiles to evaluate best places for relocation to more authentic, quality-of-life communities.
And, if your community already includes the following profiles, you’ll have a better understanding of what’s going on in your neighbors’ lives.
The Urban Uptown communities are home to the nation’s wealthiest urban consumers.
2011 Statistics:
US Households: 9,480,843
Median Household Income : $65,583
“Members of this social group tend to be affluent to middle class, college educated and ethnically diverse, with above average concentrations of Asian and Hispanic Americans.
Urban Uptown consumers tend to frequent the arts, shop at exclusive retailers, drive luxury imports, travel abroad and spend heavily on computer and wireless technology.”
Where in the West will you find those three lifestyles?
Google Maps – Naples, CA
We’ve identified two in Southern California and one in Arizona:
Chandler, AZ
Huntington Beach, CA
Naples, CA
Which of the following lifestyles best describes you?
Portfolio Locals (WIPL): “Young Digerati are the nation’s tech-savvy singles and couples living in fashionable neighborhoods on the urban fringe.
Affluent, highly educated and ethnically mixed, Young Digerati communities are typically filled with trendy apartments and condos, fitness clubs and clothing boutiques, casual restaurants and all types of bars-from juice to coffee to microbrew.”
Portfolio Locals (WIPL): “A collection of young, mobile urbanites, Bohemian Mix represents the nation’s most liberal lifestyles.
Its residents are a progressive mix of young singles and couples, students and professionals, Hispanics, Asians, African-Americans and whites.
In their funky rowhouses and apartments, Bohemian Mixers are the early adopters who are quick to check out the latest movie, nightclub, laptop and microbrew.
Lifestyle & Media Traits:
Shopped at Express
Rented/bought foreign videos
Read Details
Watched soccer on TV
Drove a Volkswagen Rabbit”
29F2U1, American Dreams, 35-54, Families, Young Accumulators, Urban Uptown, WIPL Portfolio Locals, Wealthy Influentials (Naples, CA)
2011 Statistics:
US Households: 2,451,331 (2.10%)
Median Household Income: $55,270
Portfolio Locals (WIPL): “American Dreams is a living example of how ethnically diverse the nation has become: more than half the residents are Hispanic, Asian or African-American.
Photo: Visual Hunt
In these multilingual neighborhoods-one in ten speaks a language other than English middle-aged immigrants and their children live in middle-class comfort.
Lifestyle & Media Traits:
Shopped at Old Navy
Bought motivational tapes
Read Black Enterprise
Watched TeleFutura
Drove a Lexus IS”
Midtown Urban Centers
Should you include these Birds-of-a Feather (BOF) lifestyles on your Bucket List?
Let’s turn to the second set of three Wealthy Influential lifestyle profiles.
“Diversity is the hallmark of Midtown Mix, a group of midscale urban segments.
Photo: Visual Hunt
It’s the most ethnically diverse social group, besides containing a mix of singles and couples, homeowners and renters, college alumnae and high school graduates.
In U2, the households are dominated by childless consumers who pursue active social lives—frequenting bars, health clubs and restaurants at high rates—listen to progressive music, drive small imports and acquire the latest consumer electronics.”
Where in the West will you find those three lifestyles?
Google Maps: Lakewood, CO
We’ve identified one lifestyle each in Arizona, California and Colorado:
Tempe, AZ
La Mirada, CA
Lakewood, CO
Which of the following lifestyles best describes you?
Portfolio Locals (WIPL): “Concentrated in the nation’s port cities, Urban Achievers is often the first stop for up-and-coming immigrants from Asia, South America and Europe.
These young singles and couples are typically college educated and ethnically diverse: about a third are foreign-born, and even more speak a language other than English.
Portfolio Locals (WIPL): “An immigrant gateway community, Multi-Culti Mosaic is the urban home for a mixed populace of younger Hispanic, Asian and African-American singles and families.
With nearly a quarter of the residents foreign-born, this segment is a mecca for first-generation Americans who are striving to improve their lower-middle-class status.
Portfolio Locals (WIPL): “Close-In Couples is a group of predominantly older, African-American couples living in older homes in the urban neighborhoods of mid-sized metros.
Photo: Visual Hunt
High school educated and empty nesting, these 55-year-old-plus residents typically live in older city neighborhoods, enjoying secure and comfortable retirements.
Lifestyle & Media Traits:
Shopped at Macy’s
Traveled domestically by railroad
Read The New Yorker
Watched The View
Drove a Chrysler PT Cruiser”
Will you find a 100% fit?
No.
These lifestyle descriptions are intended to paint a picture of a new neighborhood you’d enjoy, because you share some of the same traits with current residents.
8) Sit down with your spouse, partner or friends and write-up your bucket list of places.
20) Pivot. Maybe the lists of best places don’t appeal to you. Where can you go to make a fresh, new start? Don’t limit your imagination. Think anywhere — across the globe. Where do you really, really want to live, work and play? Why not live where it’s a vacation all year round?
21) Spend the time to find the best place to live and invest. It will be worth your while. The great thing about living where others spend their vacation is the year round quality-of-life.
26) If you know the zip code you can discover the lifestyles living in the community. You can compare your profile with theirs to estimate your degree of fit.
27) Estimate how well suited you are for the resorts. Refer to “Profiles-at-a-Glance” comparing 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 for changes in Life Stages – Singles, Couples, Families, Midlife, Empty Nests, Baby Boomers and Seniors; Ages – 20-29, 25-54, 30-44, 45+ 45-65, 55+ and 65+; and mix of Lifestyles in neighborhoods. Does the resort still offer the age, life stage and lifestyle profiles you prefer?
Let’s review the upscale metropolitan Wealthy Influential lifestyle and then turn to four more found in the surrounding suburban area.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Blue Blood Estates is a family portrait of suburban wealth, a place of million-dollar homes and manicured lawns, high-end cars and exclusive private clubs.
With the help of our knowledge bank, you can choose for variations in your new neighborhood by:
But to zero in on the best place for you you’ll have to visit and schedule time to explore potential new homes in a region.
Oh, darn!
Lifestyles Segments: Urban to Rustic Density
Urban and Suburban Populations
Urban
Claritas / Nielsen PRIZM defines Urban areas (U) as having population density scores between 85 and 99.
Photo: Visual Hunt
“They include both the downtowns of major cities and surrounding neighborhoods.
These areas often extend beyond the city limits and into surrounding jurisdictions.”
Should you include these Birds-of-a Feather (BOF) residential lifestyles on your Bucket List?
Let’s review the upscale metropolitan Wealthy Influential lifestyle and then turn to four more found in the surrounding suburban area.
Wealthy Influential, Affluently Elite (WIAE) – 45+ year old Empty-Nest Couples
We use Claritas / Nielsen PRIZM lifestyle segmentation profiles to evaluate best places for relocation to more authentic, quality-of-life communities.
And, if your community already includes the following profiles, you’ll have a better understanding of what’s going on in your neighbors’ lives.
Urban Uptown segments are home to the nation’s wealthiest urban consumers.
2011 Statistics:
US Households: 9,480,843
Median Household Income : $65,583
“Members of this social group tend to be affluent to middle class, college educated and ethnically diverse, with above average concentrations of Asian and Hispanic Americans.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Although this group is diverse in terms of housing styles and family sizes, residents share an upscale urban perspective that’s reflected in their marketplace choices.
Urban Uptown consumers tend to frequent the arts, shop at exclusive retailers, drive luxury imports, travel abroad and spend heavily on computer and wireless technology.”
Where will you find this lifestyle?
Google Maps
In California on the outskirts of Long Beach near Los Angeles County, but in Orange County:
Affluently Elite (WIAE): “The residents of Money & Brains seem to have it all: high incomes, advanced degrees, and sophisticated tastes to match their credentials.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Many of these city dwellers are married couples with few children who live in fashionable homes on small, manicured lots.
Lifestyle & Media Traits
Shop at Nordstrom
Contribute to NPR
Read Sunday newspaper
Watch Ebert & Roeper
Drive a Jaguar XJL”
Let’s now consider suburban populations.
Claritas / Nielsen PRIZM ranks suburbs as having a medium density, although they may in fact be surrounded by high density urban areas.
“Population density rises as you approach the city, and decreases as you move away from it.”
Photo: Visual Hunt
In 2011 roughly 23.4% of the population in the United States lived in the nation’s suburbs.
And Claritas / Nielsen PRIZM said:
“Suburbs have population density scores between 40 and 90, and are clearly dependent on urban areas or second cities.”
Should you include these Birds-of-a Feather (BOF) lifestyles on your Bucket List?
We use Claritas / Nielsen PRIZM lifestyle segmentation profiles to evaluate best places for relocation to more authentic, quality-of-life communities.
And, if your community already includes the following profiles, you’ll have a better understanding of what’s going on in your neighbors’ lives.
2011 Statistics:
US Households: 6,061,268
Median Household Income : $109,636
“The most affluent suburban social group,Elite Suburbs is a world of six-figure incomes, post-graduate degrees, single-family homes and managerial and professional occupations
The segments here are predominantly white with significant concentrations of well-off Asian Americans.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Befitting their lofty salaries, they are big consumers of large homes, expensive clothes, luxury cars and foreign travel.
Despite representing a small portion of the U.S. population, they hold a large share of the nation’s personal net worth.”
Where will you find those four lifestyles?
Google Maps
You’ll find communities in Arizona, California, Oregon and Utah.
Scottsdale, AZ
Half Moon Bay, CA
West Linn, OR
Alta, UT
Which of the following lifestyles best describes you?
Affluently Elite (WIAE): “Movers & Shakers is home to America’s up-and-coming business class: a wealthy suburban world of dual-income couples who are highly educated, typically between the ages of 35 and 54 and often with children.
Given its high percentage of executives and white-collar professionals, there’s a decided business bent to this segment:
Movers & Shakers rank number one for owning a small business and having a home office.
Affluently Elite (WIAE): “The nation’s most exclusive address, Upper Crust is the wealthiest lifestyle in America a haven for empty-nesting couples over 55 years old.
Photo: Visual Hunt
No segment has a higher concentration of residents earning over $100,000 (now $200,000) a year or possessing a postgraduate degree. And none has a more opulent standard of living.
Lifestyle & Media Traits:
Shopped at Saks Fifth Ave.
Belonged to a country club
Read Conde Nast Traveler
Watched Golf Channel
Drove a Mercedes SL Class”
02F1S1, Blue Blood Estates, 45+ Families, Elite Suburbs, Affluently Elite – WIAE, Wealthy Influentials (West Linn, OR)
2011 Statistics:
US Households: 1,129,199 (0.97%)
Median Household Income: $119,314
Affluently Elite (WIAE): “Blue Blood Estates is a family portrait of suburban wealth, a place of million-dollar homes and manicured lawns, high-end cars and exclusive private clubs.
Photo: Visual Hunt
The nation’s second-wealthiest lifestyle, it is characterized by married couples with children, college degrees, a significant percentage of Asian Americans and six figure incomes earned by business executives, managers and professionals.
Affluently Elite (WIAE): “Among the wealthy suburban lifestyles, Winner’s Circle is the youngest, a collection of mostly 25- to 34-year-old couples with large families in new-money subdivisions.
Surrounding their homes are the signs of upscale living: recreational parks, golf courses and upscale malls.
Photo: Visual Hunt
With a median income of nearly $90,000, Winner’s Circle residents are big spenders who like to travel, ski, go out to eat, shop at clothing boutiques and take in a show.
Lifestyle & Media Traits:
Shop at Neiman Marcus
Go jogging
Read Wall Street Journal
Watch Wimbledon Tennis
Mercedes GL Class”
Will you find a 100% fit?
No.
These lifestyle descriptions are intended to paint a picture of a new neighborhood you’d enjoy, because you share some of the same traits with current residents.
8) Sit down with your spouse, partner or friends and write up your bucket list of places.
20) Pivot. Maybe the lists of best places don’t appeal to you. Where can you go to make a fresh, new start? Don’t limit your imagination. Think anywhere — across the globe. Where do you really, really want to live, work and play? Why not live where it’s a vacation all year round?
21) Spend the time to find the best place to live and invest. It will be worth your while. The great thing about living where others spend their vacation is the year round quality-of-life.
26) If you know the zip code you can discover the lifestyles living in the community. You can compare your profile with theirs to estimate your degree of fit.
27) Estimate how well suited you are for the resorts. Refer to “Profiles-at-a-Glance” comparing 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 for changes in Life Stages – Singles, Couples, Families, Midlife, Empty Nests, Baby Boomers and Seniors; Ages – 20-29, 25-54, 30-44, 45+ 45-65, 55+ and 65+; and mix of Lifestyles in neighborhoods. Does the resort still offer the age, life stage and lifestyle profiles you prefer?
Strewn among remote farm communities across the nation, Back Country Folks are a long way away from economic paradise.
Photo: Visual Hunt
It is during this time through retrospection that we look back to contemplate our accomplishments and are able to develop integrity if we see ourselves as leading a successful life.
With the help of our knowledge bank, you can choose for variations in your new neighborhood by:
You’re coming to grips with what life means when you’ve reached the last chapter of your life.
When retirement is approaching or has already taken place.
Fulfillment or Despair, Depression and Hopelessness
The last and eighth developmental stage is called Maturity.
Photo: Wikipedia
As we grow older and become senior citizens, according to Erikson’s theory, we tend to slow down our productivity and explore life as a retired person.
It is during this time through retrospection that we look back to contemplate our accomplishments and are able to develop integrity if we see ourselves as leading a successful life.
If so we develop feelings of contentment and integrity if we believe we have led a happy, productive life.
Should you include these Birds-of-a Feather (BOF) lifestyles on your Bucket List?
You’ll find them in more rustic Wireless Resort and High Country Eagle neighborhoods and in less affluent Permanent Temporary communities.
Wireless Resorters – Distant Exurbans (WRDE)
High Country Eagles – Small Town Borders (HCESTB) and two Rustic Eagles (HCERE)
Permanent Temporaries – The Cutters (PTTC) and two Urban Trapped (PTUT)
We use Claritas / Nielsen PRIZM lifestyle segmentation profiles to evaluate best places for relocation to more authentic, quality-of-life communities.
And, if your community already includes the following profiles, you’ll have a better understanding of what’s going on in your neighbors’ lives.
We know the number of households and income levels for comparison purposes based upon Claritas / Nielsen PRIZM 2011 Statistics:
US Households: 12,101,672
Median Household Income : $29,346
Sustaining Seniors are filled with older, economically challenged Americans.
Racially mixed and dispersed throughout the country, they all score high for having residents who are over 65 years old and household incomes under $25,000.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Many are single or widowed, have modest educational achievement and live in older apartments or small homes.
On their fixed incomes, they lead low-key, home-centered lifestyles.
They’re big on watching TV, gardening, sewing and woodworking.
Their social life often revolves around activities at veterans clubs and fraternal organizations.
Where in the West will you find those seven lifestyles?
Southwest United States – Wikitravel
We’ve identified four in California and one community each in Arizona, New Mexico and Montana:
Long Beach, CA
Palm Desert, CA
Seal Beach, CA
Eureka, CA
Elgin, AZ
Taos, NM
Whitefish, MT
Which of the following lifestyles best describes you?
Distant Exurbans (WRDE): “Golden Ponds is mostly a retirement lifestyle, dominated by downscale singles and couples over 65 years old.
Found in small bucolic towns around the country, these high school-educated seniors live in small apartments on less than $25,000 a year; one in five resides in a nursing home.
Photo: Visual Hunt
For these elderly residents, daily life is often a succession of sedentary activities such as reading, watching TV, playing bingo and doing craft projects.
Lifestyle & Media Traits
Purchased in-home vitamins
Ordered garden supplies by phone
Read American Legion Magazine
Watched The Price is Right
Drove a Mercury Sable”
57M4T4, Old Milltown, 65+, Sustaining Seniors, Rustic Living, HCERE Rustic Eagles, High Country Eagles ( Taos, NM)
2011 Statistics
US Households: 1,845,943 (1.58%)
Median Household Income: $30,608
Rustic Eagles (HCERE): “America’s once-thriving mining and manufacturing towns have aged-as have the residents in Old Milltowns communities
Today, the majority of residents are retired singles and couples, living on downscale incomes in pre-1960 homes and apartments.
Photo: Visual Hunt
For leisure, they enjoy gardening, sewing, socializing at veterans clubs or eating out at casual restaurants.
Lifestyle & Media Traits
Ordered from Home Shopping Network
Did needlepoint
Read Good Housekeeping
Watched As the World Turns
Drove a GMC Canyon”
58M4T4, Back Country Folks, 65+Sustaining Seniors, Rustic Living, HCERE Rustic Eagles, High Country Eagles (Whitefish, MT)
2011 Statistics
US Households: 2,658,532 (2.27%)
Median Household Income: $32,207
Rustic Eagles (HCERE): “Strewn among remote farm communities across the nation, Back Country Folks are a long way away from economic paradise.
The residents tend to be poor, over 55 years old and living in older, modest-sized homes and manufactured housing.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Typically, life in this segment is a throwback to an earlier era when farming dominated the American landscape.
Urban Trapped (PTUT): “For Urban Elders-a segment located in the downtown neighborhoods of such metros as New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and Miami life is often an economic struggle.
Photo: Visual Hunt
These communities have high concentrations of Hispanics and African-Americans, and tend to be downscale, with singles living in older apartment rentals.
Lifestyle & Media Traits
Shopped at Rite Aid
Traveled Domestically on JetBlue
Read Essence
Watched Primer Impacto
Drove a Ford Crown Victoria”
60M4C3, Park Bench Seniors, 65+Sustaining Seniors,Micro-City Blues – HCESTB Small Town Borders, High Country Eagles (Palm Desert, CA)
2011 Statistics
US Households: 1,345,679 (1.15%)
Median Household Income: $24,290
Small Town Borders (HCESTB): “Park Bench Seniors typically are retired singles living in the racially mixed neighborhoods of the nation’s satellite cities.
With modest educations and incomes, these residents maintain low-key, sedentary lifestyles.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Theirs is one of the top-ranked segments for TV viewing, especially daytime soaps and game shows.
Lifestyle & Media Traits
Purchased in-home housewares
Bought gospel music
Read Jet
Watched The People’s Court
Drove a Suzuki Reno”
61M4U3, City Roots, 65+, Seniors, Sustaining Seniors, Urban Cores, Urban, PTUT Urban Trapped, Permanent Temporaries (Seal Beach, CA)
2011 Statistics
US Households: 1,326,369 (1.13%)
Median Household Income: $28,006
Urban Trapped (PTUT): “Found in urban neighborhoods, City Roots is a segment of lower-income retirees, typically living in older homes and duplexes they’ve owned for years.
Photo: Visual Hunt
In these ethnically diverse neighborhoods-more than a third are African-American and Hispanic residents are often widows and widowers living on fixed incomes and maintaining low-key lifestyles.
Lifestyle & Media Traits
Ordered from drugstore.com
Gambled in Reno, NV
Read Town & Country
Watched NAACP Image Awards
Drove a Chrysler 300″
62M4C3, Hometown Retired , 65+, Seniors, Sustaining Seniors, Second Tier Cities, Micro-City Blues, PTTC The Cutters, Permanent Temporaries (Eureka, CA)
2011 Statistics
US Households: 1,406,698 (1.20%)
Median Household Income: $27,609
The Cutters (PTTC): “With three-quarters of all residents over 65 years old, Hometown Retired is one of the oldest lifestyles.
These racially mixed seniors tend to live in aging homes-half were built before 1958-and typically get by on social security and modest pensions.
Photo: Visual Hunt
Because most never made it beyond high school and spent their working lives at blue-collar jobs, their retirements are extremely modest.
Lifestyle & Media Traits
Ordered items by mail
Collected stamps
Read Womans Day
Watched Judge Judy
Drove a Mercury Grand Marquis”
Will you find a 100% fit?
No.
These lifestyle descriptions are intended to paint a picture of a new neighborhood you’d enjoy, because you share some of the same traits with current residents.
26) If you know the zip code you can discover the lifestyles living in the community. You can compare your profile with theirs to estimate your degree of fit.
27) Estimate how well suited you are for the resorts. Refer to “Profiles-at-a-Glance” comparing 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 for changes in Life Stages – Singles, Couples, Families, Midlife, Empty Nests, Baby Boomers and Seniors; Ages – 20-29, 25-54, 30-44, 45+ 45-65, 55+ and 65+; and mix of Lifestyles in neighborhoods. Does the resort still offer the age, life stage and lifestyle profiles you prefer?
