They include both the downtowns of major cities and surrounding neighborhoods.
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 .
“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.
Wealthy Influential, Portfolio Locals (WIPL) -Two 25–54 year old Mainstream Singles and one 35-54 year old Family profile.
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.
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 in the West will you find those three lifestyles?
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?
04Y2U1, Young Digerati, 25 – 54, Mainstream Singles, Urban Uptown, WIPL Portfolio Locals, Wealthy Influentials (Chandler, AZ)
2011 Statistics:
- US Households: 1,397,823 (1.20%)
- Median Household Income: $85,599
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.”
Lifestyle & Media Traits:
- Ordered from expedia.com
- Gone water skiing
- Read The Economist
- Watched Independent Film Channel
- Drove an Audi A3“
16Y2U1, Bohemian Mix, 25 – 54, Mainstream Singles, Urban Uptown, WIPL Portfolio Locals, Wealthy Influentials (Huntington Beach, CA)
2011 Statistics:
- US Households: 2,052,684 (1.76%)
- Median Household Income: $54,098
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.
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.
Wealthy Influential, Portfolio Locals (WIPL) – One 25-54 year old Mainstream Singles, one 25-54 year old Mainstream Families, and one older 55+ year old Cautious Couple profile.
2011 Statistics:
- US Households: 5,069,419
- Median Household Income : $36,855
“Diversity is the hallmark of Midtown Mix, a group of midscale urban segments.
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?
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?
31Y2U2, Urban Achievers, 25-54, Singles, Mainstream Singles, Midtown Mix – WIPL Portfolio Locals, Wealthy Influentials (Tempe, AZ)
2011 Statistics:
- US Households: 1,794,520 (1.54%)
- Median Household Income: $35,535
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.
Lifestyle & Media Traits:
- Shopped at Banana Republic
- Played soccer
- Read Latina
- Watched Tyra
- Drove a Volkswagen GTI”
54F3U2, Multi-Culti Mosaic, 25-54, Families, Mainstream Families, Midtown Mix, WIPL Portfolio Locals, Wealthy Influentials(Lakewood, CO)
2011 Statistics:
- US Households: 1,947,324 (1.67%)
- Median Household Income: $34,876
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.
Lifestyle & Media Traits:
- Shopped at CVS Pharmacy
- Bought Spanish/Latin music
- Read Seventeen
- Watched Premio Juventud
- Drove a Volkswagen GLI“
40M3U2, Close-In Couples, 55+, Couples, Cautious Couples, Midtown Mix – WIPL Portfolio Locals, Wealthy Influentials (La Mirada, CA)
2011 Statistics:
- US Households: 1,327,575 (1.14%)
- Median Household Income: $40,860
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.
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.
If you plan to relocate, start visiting communities on your short bucket list.
Don’t have a short list yet?
Steps:
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?