Are Happy Days Returning to Jacksonville?

[jerry cornwell]

Bottomline, the only only things that most of MJ appreciates are implementing streetcar in Jax, yuppie white collar jobs added to DT, retail added to DT, and high rise construction in DT, that's it. Anything else is 'not progressive enough'. Adding jobs to the burbs 'doesn't matter'. So while I think that Jax is obviously taking steps in the right direction, I'm expecting the typical 'gloom and doom' look at what Charlotte, Atlanta etc bullshit to rear it's ugly head from most of jaded MJ; IMO it's really stupid to act that way (only caring about high paying downtown jobs, towers etc) but whatever.

Good point

I wonder if these companies comprehend how conservative republican this city is...if they sit in on a few council meetings theyll run screaming from this city...compared to other metropolitan cities we are ages behind.

A lot of corps probably jump at the concessions the conservative city government offers.
Jacksonville is the cheapest, most affordable city in Florida, located on the Atlantic coast. With a NFL football team.
  While Atlanta, Charlotte have stronger assets like international airports for travel, they cant compete with that.
Yeah, I think Jacksonville could be in for a period of prosperity.

[ronchamblin]

If there is indeed a momentum of companies moving to Jax, it would be great if whatever individuals or agencies in Jax are charged with the task of persuading these companies to move into the core instead of the outlying office parks “would get of their asses”.  Hell, if 25% of the new arrivals would locate in the core, it would be enough to begin a momentum for further new occupancies.

I must have missed any references to ongoing efforts by some individuals or groups to entice these incoming companies to the core.  Who are these individuals or groups set with the task of core infill by newly arriving companies?  Are there any?  Is anyone home?  Are they on vacation?  Are they sleeping?  Are they incompetent?  WTF?

Or, are they being paid by office park owners to route new arrivals to lease with them?  After all, money is the key in America, and certainly in Jax in this economy.  And given the average integrities I’ve seen in the area, money funneled here and there just might be the answer to the riddle of why companies seldom end up seriously entertaining locating in the core.

Again…. who is sleeping?  Who is falling down on the job?  Again… WTF?

[WmNussbaum]

My thoughts:

1. There is more than a kernel of truth in I-10's comments about the bent of the guys who run MJ. But that's not to say they are bad guys - their focus may just be a bit limited.

2. Ron, I thought you were a god. I'm sorry to find out I was wrong.

3. Most of those jobs in all those articles are not exactly higher salaried positions. I agree that any new jobs are good for us, but unless the city gets a good share of upper salaried new positions, Jacksonville will continue to be what I call "a poor city." Our taxes are too low, and that is one reason why our school system is, with a few exceptions, in bad shape; why we have an enormous police/fire/public employee pension problem;  etc. Taxes won't be raised because there are too many in the city who really cannot afford much more and also because out councilmen/women are too afraid of not getting re-elected to increase the millage rate.
    I found support for these views yesterday listening to Bill Bishop (new City Council pres.) on First Coast Connect. According to him, one of the first thing that potential new businesses ask about the city is how good the private schools are. Melissa Ross tried to correct him by saying he must have meant public, not private schools. He responded by saying he meant what he said - everyone knows how bad Jacksonville's public schools are, so they want to know what the private schools have to offer. BTW, that was one of the best FCC programs I've heard, and if there is a way to listen to in in an archive, I heartily recommend it to all.

[jcjohnpaint]

Promise not trying to be conrontational, just curious: what do you appreciate?

Jobs to the city of Jacksonville, simple as that. This website is the ONLY source of media that I ever saw that poo poos adding jobs; If you have the mentality of  'The only jobs that matter are high paying DT jobs', that is a very pessimistic and unrealistic point of view.

Though some people have difficulty with this, I appreciate MJ for being an outlet for honest discussion, even if it is difficult.

At times, discussions about new jobs, commerce etc in the city can become alarmingly pessimistic, and unfairly negative. It's as if this was Gary, Ind or something. I'm not saying throw and party and celebrate, but I will never see the reason to downplay jobs added to the city; I will say something like a simple not too celebratory 'good for jax' even when typical suburban jobs are added, and not the sarcastic 'Yay! more 10 dollar an hour jobs in suburbia, at this rate we will catch up to the third world, hahahaha". That's very tiresome, not funny or informative.

Personally I think your right, but as Ron quoted: 

"The missing ingredient is perhaps the lack of focus, encouragement, and implementation of a plan for action by the right agency.  Which is the right agency?  Is it DVI?  Is it the Chamber?  Is it the mayor’s office?  Is it the new Civic Council? One or some of these agencies should be focusing on a plan to do something like the above."

This city never has a plan.  Until Jacksonville has a strong agreed upon plan/ nothing will every happen.
I think this is my MJ is a good site.  MJ has a plan on how to capitalize on such jobs.  Use the jobs to get more citywide energy than just being added jobs.  I think successful cites know how to get the most bang for the buck.  Great cities don't just get jobs, they make these new jobs a part of the bigger plan and direction of the city.  As for downtown agencies:  Sorry, but I have no idea which one is which.  They all mix into a big pile of 'gettin nothing done.'

Thans Ock for the links!

[jcjohnpaint]

Also MJ is the only 'future gazing' plan this city has.  MJ is just looking to what is working very well in our peer cities. 

[jcjohnpaint]

Not some kind of 'if we tried this things might work.'  We have proof. 

[Tamara-B]

Bottomline, the only only things that most of MJ appreciates are implementing streetcar in Jax, yuppie white collar jobs added to DT, retail added to DT, and high rise construction in DT, that's it. Anything else is 'not progressive enough'.

Promise not trying to be conrontational, just curious: what do you appreciate?  Or are you a take what news I can get?  If the latter, don't you think that's sort of lowering your standards, which may have been worn down over years of stagnancy?  And further, do you think stagnancy is due to too many people just "taking whatever they can get?"

Though some people have difficulty with this, I appreciate MJ for being an outlet for honest discussion, even if it is difficult.

"Promise not trying to be confrontational?"

Don't shiver in your boots. You have a voice and a right to express your voice.

[jcjohnpaint]

Sorry, but I am not a very linear person, nor do I have any expertise in the field of running a city or urban planning.  I usually come on here to learn.  The one thing that I find so hard to follow in Jacksonville (as set forth by it's leaders) is so many agencies that seem to do nothing/ maybe ever running counter productive against each other. 

I am just curious how and why things get done in successful cities?  There has been some amazing things that have made sense such as the canopy program, but who comes up with these ideas of cutting down all the trees in Hemming Plaza to get rid of homeless people.  This is so stupid.  I don't have to be knowledgable in urban planning to realize this makes no sense.  I think a plan might streamline some of this junk.  I might be wrong, but I really feel the master plan of UNF has been an amazing example of how to come to a consensus on a direction and not straying from the plan. 
Here is a link. 

http://www.unf.edu/masterplan/

It has been great watching UNF's master plan come to life. 

Remember when some downtown agency proposed putting up a carnival on the shipyards site/ tearing down some historical fabric for a parking garage.  Which agency thought this crap up? 
Either they make money from demolition, building parking garages, collecting money for parking, or are stupid. 
I think a plan would send this crap to the periphery.  Just as UNF's master plan protects and preserves wildlife, downtown's master plan should protect historical fabric.  I know this isn't so easy, but it would provide a direction (maybe).

[simms3]

^^^Agreed, though slightly off topic.  I think Jax lacks refined direction on bringing jobs to the city.  There are all sorts of jobs coming to the city, but there is not one economic base that sort of defines the city.  It's not a category killer like its former peers.  I think a plan needs to be made for everything.

From my chamber:

The Metro **** Chamber works with many partners to recruit companies and headquarters to metro **** by focusing its marketing strategy on the logistics, high-tech and biomedical sectors and on global trade. Brazil, Russia, India and China are major global markets currently being pursued in this effort.

Contrast to Jacksonville's Chamber (nothing wrong with the description, but probably too 50,000 ft view and not enough specifics):

The JAX Chamber is the business membership organization dedicated to driving quality economic growth in Northeast Florida to make this region the best place to work, live and play. Membership provides the opportunity to connect with and buy from other Chamber members. The connections result in business growth and a more prosperous economy.

Furthermore, recently my Chamber unveiled a Forward **** Plan, created in conjuction with Boston Consulting.  Here it is in a nutshell:

The five strategic areas:

Strategy One: Jump-start short-term and mid-term job growth. Concentrating on job growth from existing companies and startups in sub-clusters where **** has national strength â€" wireless mobility, health information technology, internet security, biomedical devices and digital content.

Strategy Two: Catalyze on new business formation. Creating an ecosystem that fosters new businesses, growing local venture funds and angel investments, and advocating for new business and investor tax incentives.

Strategy Three: Elevate quality of life and core infrastructure. Promoting the expansion of the Port of ****, ensuring construction of transportation projects being on time and on budget, support the completion of reservoir projects, reinvigorating Pre-K through college education and publishing a regional scorecard for business and quality of life.

Strategy Four: Confidently tell our story. Marketing **** as a top university town, working with regional partners to promote assets and aspirations, establishing key talking points about ****, and launching digital and social media campaigns on key **** assets and opportunities.

Strategy Five: Drive strong higher education and business collaboration. Increasing the links between the business community and higher education for research and development, strengthening new business formations at universities, helping prepare students for “jobs of the future,” and partnering with existing organizations such as the **** Research Alliance.

I agree refined plans to tackle just about anything are needed.  Perhaps Jacksonville needs to enlist Boston Consulting for its own strengths/weaknesses and to draft a plan that corresponds.

[simms3]

I also find it very difficult to find who besides Wally Lee and Tom Van Berkel are running the Chamber.  Their website does not seem fully developed.  I want to see bios of the members of the Board.  I know UNF certainly provides such information, and its master plan is readily available (as well as previous versions of the master plan...something I have definitely followed), and you know who is running the show over there.

[JFman00]

Also slightly off-topic. What has Jacksonville been doing with it's IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant? http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/37187.wss

EDIT: Disregard. Found out myself http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-03-15/story/jacksonville-participate-ibm-smarter-cities-grant-focus-downtown

[strider]

What bothers me about the concept of " unless the city gets a good share of upper salaried new positions, Jacksonville will continue to be what I call "a poor city." is that this is ultimately what promotes us being perceived as a poorer city.  If we do not get the blue collar jobs that pay well (Something above a living wage), if we continue to lose those jobs, we become poorer as a city.  Why?  Because while those white collar higher wage earners can and often move for those jobs, the blue collar work force seldom does and in fact mostly can't. They get left with below living wage jobs and so makes the city appear poorer regardless of how many high paying white collar jobs there may be.

Of course, one way to help avoid that perception is too keep the 'burbs full of those companies that offer white collar higher wage jobs and keep those below living wage earners in that urban area.  Oh wait, that's what has been happening the last 4 or 5 decades.  And what I believe MJ is often trying to get us out of with their support of more urban based jobs and the promotion of a vibrant downtown area. 

Of course, even the promotion of downtown won't solve the low income problem.  As long as the Bacardi's find it much less expensive to produce their products in other countries, we will have a entire work force struggling to survive.  The city needs to find a way to get back to industry too or all the hopes and dreams of a truly prosperous Jacksonville will be for not.

[Ocklawaha]

Bottomline, the only only things that most of MJ appreciates are implementing streetcar in Jax, yuppie white collar jobs added to DT, retail added to DT, and high rise construction in DT, that's it. Anything else is 'not progressive enough'. Adding jobs to the burbs 'doesn't matter'. So while I think that Jax is obviously taking steps in the right direction, I'm expecting the typical 'gloom and doom' look at what Charlotte, Atlanta etc bullshit to rear it's ugly head from most of jaded MJ; IMO it's really stupid to act that way (only caring about high paying downtown jobs, towers etc) but whatever.

4,565 new jobs (if you add up my list), somewhere above the average Wal-Mart pay scale and your bitching that I'm upset by this? Hell's bells man, I simply asked if happy days are here again. No where in my post do you read the words 'DOWNTOWN,' one could hardly call 2,000 new jobs at Mayport 'downtown'. So who's the jaded negative Nelly here?

Streetcar is promoted because it is a proved development engine in cities world wide. The ROI for streetcar far exceeds the cost of implementation through new development that spring up along fixed rail routes. MJ pushes rail because we could use the jobs created by a streetcar development boom. In case you haven't noticed, the proposed streetcar route isn't all downtown, in fact over half of the mileage between Shand's and King Street in Riverside is through urban neighborhoods.

If you seek the one spreading doom and gloom, might we suggest you look in a mirror?

[I-10east]

meh.  I-10 is a bit of a dimwit, imho.

He generally thinks that any and all discussion about how to improve the inner city threatens or condemns his home out in the suburbs somewhere---a bizarre fixation that no one has ever tried to either encourage or discourage.  As Dorothy Parker once famously said, "You can lead a horticulture, but you can't make her think."

Thanks for the kind words. You say that I'm anti-inner city, that's laughable; I've basically lived nearly my entire life in dense urban environments. In fact, during MJ chat about improving the inner core, I tend to sit back and observe, because I've never claimed to know the intricacies of urban development; What I do know is that the municipal government has to run an entire city, not only DT like you think, talk about a bizarre fixation. I guess that you would be for deconsolidating the city so that ALL of the time and energy can be devoted to the precious lil' urban core. I LOVE urban development more than you would like the think, but I don't have a temper tantrum whatever something profitable is added to the burbs either (like the SJTC). The difference between me and you is that I try to be 50/50 urban/suburban, and you are 100% urban minded total tunnel vision, which isn't realistic for Jax, let alone any city.

[simms3]

Jacksonville is solidly middle class...it has a LONG way to go to be poor and a LONG way to go to be wealthy.  I compiled this data recently.  (and then after posting I *have* to go to the pool )

I only included the 81 largest primary/satellite cities within the continental US (excluded Honolulu and Anchorage and cities like Mesa, Scottsdale, the Arlingtons, Newark, Glendale, etc etc).  I have tons of tracking lists such as these.

City limits ranked by % Households earning greater than $100,000 (and # households)

1   San Jose   39.25%   117,794
2   San Francisco   36.55%   122,792
3   Washington   29.56%   76,063
4   San Diego   28.63%   135,966
5   Seattle   28.11%   78,835
6   Virginia Beach   25.58%   41,937
7   Boston   23.67%   58,194
8   Oakland   23.13%   35,818
9   Atlanta   22.98%   41,007
10   New York City   22.84%   695,992
11   Los Angeles   22.10%   290,438
12   Raleigh   21.87%   33,828
13   Charlotte   21.55%   60,789
14   Austin   21.27%   67,285
15   Bakersfield   21.18%   22,376
16   Las Vegas   20.76%   44,006
17   Colorado Springs   20.72%   33,628
18   Madison   19.73%   19,378
19   Sacramento   19.39%   33,727
20   Chicago   19.37%   200,096
21   Phoenix   19.04%   98,189
22   Denver   19.03%   48,371
23   Portland   18.98%   46,464
24   Lexington   18.71%   22,624
25   Reno   18.67%   16,658
26   Durham   18.63%   16,901
27   Boise City   18.61%   16,011
28   Minneapolis   18.58%   31,055
29   Tampa   18.34%   24,443
30   Fort Worth   17.97%   45,245
31   Houston   17.89%   136,815
32   Little Rock   17.69%   14,062
33   Dallas   17.35%   78,005
34   Stockton   17.00%   15,364
35   Albuquerque   16.99%   36,912
36   Tacoma   16.58%   13,264
37   St. Paul   16.48%   18,381
38   Omaha   16.32%   26,604
39   Corpus Christi   16.26%   17,749
40   Jacksonville   16.14%   50,206
41   Oklahoma City   16.03%   35,715
42   Kansas City   15.99%   30,812
43   Lincoln   15.67%   15,999
44   Nashville   15.61%   37,854
45   Wichita   15.53%   23,350
46   Fresno   15.42%   24,090
47   Montgomery   15.22%   12,237
48   New Orleans   15.22%   17,752
49   Louisville   15.15%   36,298
50   Winston-Salem   15.10%   13,487
51   Greensboro   14.94%   16,101
52   San Antonio   14.85%   68,479
53   Baton Rouge   14.51%   12,841
54   Orlando   14.44%   14,102
55   St. Petersburg   14.41%   15,383
56   Indianapolis   14.21%   46,108
57   Tulsa   14.20%   23,414
58   Lubbock   13.73%   11,818
59   Richmond   13.59%   11,347
60   Baltimore   13.41%   31,968
61   Norfolk   13.12%   11,160
62   Columbus   12.62%   40,189
63   Pittsburgh   12.50%   16,869
64   Fort Wayne   12.28%   12,449
65   El Paso   12.17%   25,122
66   Cincinnati   12.11%   16,057
67   Des Moines   12.02%   10,017
68   Philadelphia   11.86%   68,134
69   Memphis   11.54%   28,446
70   Spokane   11.06%   9,701
71   Miami   10.57%   15,757
72   Saint Louis   10.13%   14,226
73   Tucson   9.92%   20,565
74   Milwaukee   8.87%   20,419
75   Buffalo   8.51%   9,603
76   Knoxville   7.98%   6,553
77   Birmingham   7.85%   7,091
78   Toledo   7.72%   9,295
79   Rochester   7.41%   6,342
80   Detroit   6.53%   17,700
81   Cleveland   5.29%   9,018


Cities ranked by % Households earning less than $25,000 (and # HH)

1   Cleveland   46.25%   78,840
2   Detroit   44.86%   121,593
3   Miami   43.98%   65,564
4   Buffalo   43.37%   48,940
5   Rochester   42.18%   36,101
6   Birmingham   40.44%   36,530
7   Cincinnati   39.59%   52,493
8   Saint Louis   38.85%   54,561
9   Knoxville   38.23%   31,393
10   Toledo   37.52%   45,176
11   Pittsburgh   37.23%   50,243
12   Philadelphia   36.91%   212,044
13   Baton Rouge   36.47%   32,276
14   New Orleans   35.83%   41,791
15   Milwaukee   35.31%   81,285
16   Richmond   34.98%   29,208
17   El Paso   34.68%   71,589
18   Memphis   34.32%   84,597
19   Tucson   33.06%   68,538
20   Baltimore   32.77%   78,121
21   Lubbock   30.92%   26,614
22   Tulsa   30.85%   50,868
23   Atlanta   30.75%   54,872
24   Fresno   30.51%   47,665
25   Spokane   30.26%   26,542
26   Winston-Salem   29.91%   26,714
27   Boston   29.57%   72,700
28   Corpus Christi   29.56%   32,268
29   Montgomery   29.44%   23,671
30   Tampa   29.41%   39,197
31   Louisville   29.22%   70,009
32   Minneapolis   29.17%   48,755
33   Chicago   29.12%   300,816
34   Dallas   29.02%   130,473
35   Columbus   28.96%   92,224
36   Greensboro   28.89%   31,135
37   Houston   28.87%   220,786
38   San Antonio   28.73%   132,485
39   Kansas City   28.40%   54,725
40   St. Paul   28.38%   31,653
41   Denver   28.30%   71,933
42   Oakland   28.02%   43,390
43   Norfolk   27.81%   23,655
44   Des Moines   27.80%   23,168
45   Indianapolis   27.75%   90,042
46   New York City   27.65%   842,564
47   Oklahoma City   27.38%   61,003
48   Lexington   27.19%   32,877
49   St. Petersburg   27.02%   28,845
50   Little Rock   26.94%   21,414
51   Wichita   26.75%   40,219
52   Los Angeles   26.55%   348,920
53   Nashville   26.34%   63,873
54   Orlando   26.30%   25,685
55   Durham   26.02%   23,605
56   Omaha   25.89%   42,204
57   Portland   25.74%   63,012
58   Fort Wayne   25.67%   26,023
59   Tacoma   25.59%   20,473
60   Albuquerque   25.52%   55,444
61   Lincoln   25.01%   25,535
62   Stockton   24.87%   22,476
63   Reno   24.73%   22,065
64   Fort Worth   24.49%   61,661
65   Phoenix   24.24%   125,006
66   Jacksonville   24.16%   75,153
67   Sacramento   24.01%   41,763
68   Washington   23.88%   61,447
69   Austin   23.60%   74,656
70   Madison   23.51%   23,091
71   Boise City   21.80%   18,755
72   Colorado Springs   21.73%   35,267
73   Bakersfield   21.66%   22,883
74   Raleigh   21.59%   33,395
75   Charlotte   21.34%   60,196
76   San Francisco   20.90%   70,215
77   Las Vegas   20.73%   43,942
78   Seattle   20.48%   57,437
79   San Diego   19.18%   91,087
80   San Jose   14.87%   44,627
81   Virginia Beach   12.55%   20,575


Cities ranked by % "Middle Class" (those HH earning between $25K and $100K)

1   Fort Wayne   62.05%   62,904
2   Virginia Beach   61.87%   101,432
3   Des Moines   60.18%   50,153
4   Jacksonville   59.70%   185,705
5   Boise City   59.59%   51,266
6   Lincoln   59.32%   60,565
7   Orlando   59.26%   57,874
8   Norfolk   59.07%   50,246
9   Spokane   58.68%   51,471
10   St. Petersburg   58.57%   62,526
11   Las Vegas   58.51%   124,027
12   Columbus   58.42%   186,041
13   Stockton   58.13%   52,535
14   Nashville   58.05%   140,769
15   Indianapolis   58.04%   188,325
16   Tacoma   57.83%   46,266
17   Omaha   57.79%   94,206
18   Wichita   57.72%   86,784
19   Colorado Springs   57.55%   93,401
20   Fort Worth   57.54%   144,874
21   Albuquerque   57.49%   124,900
22   Bakersfield   57.16%   60,388
23   Charlotte   57.11%   161,097
24   Tucson   57.02%   118,210
25   Madison   56.76%   55,747
26   Phoenix   56.72%   292,506
27   Reno   56.60%   50,501
28   Sacramento   56.60%   98,449
29   Oklahoma City   56.59%   126,084
30   Raleigh   56.54%   87,454
31   San Antonio   56.42%   260,175
32   Greensboro   56.17%   60,534
33   Milwaukee   55.82%   128,499
34   Louisville   55.63%   133,285
35   Kansas City   55.61%   107,158
36   Little Rock   55.37%   44,013
37   Lubbock   55.35%   47,642
38   Durham   55.35%   50,212
39   Montgomery   55.34%   44,496
40   Portland   55.28%   135,327
41   St. Paul   55.14%   61,500
42   Austin   55.13%   174,397
43   Winston-Salem   54.99%   49,114
44   Tulsa   54.95%   90,606
45   Toledo   54.76%   65,934
46   Corpus Christi   54.18%   59,143
47   Memphis   54.14%   133,452
48   Lexington   54.10%   65,416
49   Fresno   54.07%   84,471
50   Baltimore   53.82%   128,303
51   Knoxville   53.79%   44,170
52   Dallas   53.63%   241,119
53   Houston   53.24%   407,157
54   El Paso   53.15%   109,716
55   Denver   52.67%   133,877
56   Tampa   52.25%   69,637
57   Minneapolis   52.25%   87,331
58   San Diego   52.19%   247,853
59   Birmingham   51.71%   46,711
60   Chicago   51.51%   532,110
61   Richmond   51.43%   42,943
62   Seattle   51.41%   144,181
63   Los Angeles   51.35%   674,841
64   Philadelphia   51.23%   294,310
65   Saint Louis   51.02%   71,652
66   Rochester   50.41%   43,145
67   Pittsburgh   50.27%   67,841
68   New York City   49.51%   1,508,693
69   Baton Rouge   49.02%   43,383
70   New Orleans   48.95%   57,094
71   Oakland   48.85%   75,646
72   Detroit   48.61%   131,757
73   Cleveland   48.46%   82,607
74   Cincinnati   48.30%   64,041
75   Buffalo   48.12%   54,301
76   Boston   46.76%   114,963
77   Washington   46.56%   119,807
78   Atlanta   46.27%   82,567
79   San Jose   45.88%   137,691
80   Miami   45.45%   67,755
81   San Francisco   42.55%   142,949


I created a conditional formula for these cities that indicated whether they were wealthy (>20% earning $100K, <25% earning $25K), poor (<12% earning $100K, >30% earning $25K), or dichotomous (>20% earning $100K, >30% earning $25K).

1   New York City   3,047,249   Middle Class
2   Los Angeles   1,314,198   Middle Class
3   Chicago   1,033,022   Middle Class
4   Houston   764,758   Middle Class
5   Philadelphia   574,488   Poor
6   Phoenix   515,701   Middle Class
7   San Diego   474,906   Wealthy
8   San Antonio   461,139   Middle Class
9   Dallas   449,597   Middle Class
10   San Francisco   335,956   Wealthy
11   Indianapolis   324,474   Middle Class
12   Columbus   318,454   Middle Class
13   Austin   316,337   Wealthy
14   Jacksonville   311,064   Middle Class
15   San Jose   300,111   Wealthy
16   Charlotte   282,082   Wealthy
17   Seattle   280,453   Wealthy
18   Detroit   271,050   Poor
19   Washington   257,317   Wealthy
20   Denver   254,181   Middle Class
21   Fort Worth   251,779   Middle Class
22   Memphis   246,495   Poor
23   Boston   245,857   Middle Class
24   Portland   244,803   Middle Class
25   Nashville   242,496   Middle Class
26   Louisville   239,592   Middle Class
27   Baltimore   238,392   Middle Class
28   Milwaukee   230,203   Poor
29   Oklahoma City   222,802   Middle Class
30   Albuquerque   217,256   Middle Class
31   Las Vegas   211,975   Wealthy
32   Tucson   207,313   Poor
33   El Paso   206,428   Middle Class
34   Kansas City   192,695   Middle Class
35   Atlanta   178,447   Dichotomous
36   Sacramento   173,938   Middle Class
37   Cleveland   170,464   Poor
38   Minneapolis   167,141   Middle Class
39   Tulsa   164,888   Middle Class
40   Virginia Beach   163,944   Wealthy
41   Omaha   163,014   Middle Class
42   Colorado Springs   162,295   Wealthy
43   Fresno   156,226   Middle Class
44   Oakland   154,854   Middle Class
45   Raleigh   154,677   Wealthy
46   Wichita   150,353   Middle Class
47   Miami   149,077   Poor
48   Saint Louis   140,439   Poor
49   Pittsburgh   134,953   Middle Class
50   Tampa   133,277   Middle Class
51   Cincinnati   132,591   Middle Class
52   Lexington   120,917   Middle Class
53   Toledo   120,406   Poor
54   New Orleans   116,638   Middle Class
55   Buffalo   112,844   Poor
56   St. Paul   111,534   Middle Class
57   Corpus Christi   109,160   Middle Class
58   Greensboro   107,770   Middle Class
59   St. Petersburg   106,755   Middle Class
60   Bakersfield   105,648   Wealthy
61   Lincoln   102,099   Middle Class
62   Fort Wayne   101,377   Middle Class
63   Madison   98,216   Middle Class
64   Orlando   97,661   Middle Class
65   Durham   90,717   Middle Class
66   Stockton   90,375   Middle Class
67   Birmingham   90,332   Poor
68   Winston-Salem   89,315   Middle Class
69   Reno   89,224   Middle Class
70   Baton Rouge   88,501   Middle Class
71   Spokane   87,714   Poor
72   Lubbock   86,074   Middle Class
73   Boise City   86,032   Middle Class
74   Rochester   85,589   Poor
75   Norfolk   85,061   Middle Class
76   Richmond   83,498   Middle Class
77   Des Moines   83,338   Middle Class
78   Knoxville   82,116   Poor
79   Montgomery   80,404   Middle Class
80   Tacoma   80,003   Middle Class
81   Little Rock   79,489   Middle Class


Jacksonville is not as "poor" as commonly thought, in fact it is one of the least poor cities in the US in terms of population earning less than $25K.  I think if it can do two things: prevent the amount of poor from growing, and INCREASE the amount of high paying jobs, the city would be a little more golden.  Jacksonville's city limits include much of its wealthier suburban areas, so frankly there probably should be more households earning $100K and more...certainly helps the tax base as these are your business managers investing in the city, these are people living in more expensive housing, buying more things, etc etc.  Keeping the poor population astoundingly low also helps the tax situation as you don't need as much social support and higher taxes to support services.