PALMDALE – The city of Palmdale was ranked the 25th Best City for Living the American Dream, according to a study released by SmartAsset on May 3.
“It is difficult to come up with any one definition for the American Dream that every American will agree on,” wrote Derek Miller, a Certified Educator in Personal Finance in the study piece. “But certainly for many people, it includes homeownership, economic opportunity and diverse communities. For these people, they need to live in a city where homes, and mortgages, are affordable and where it’s possible to climb the economic ladder.”
In order to rank the best places for living the American Dream, SmartAsset looked at the largest 257 cities which they had data for. Specifically, they looked at five metrics: homeownership rate, diversity rate, upward mobility rate, median home value and unemployment rate.
In order to rank the best cities for living the American Dream, specifically, they compared the cities across the following five metrics:
- Homeownership rate. This is the percent of households who own their home. Data comes from the Census Bureau’s 2016 1-year American Community Survey.
- Diversity score. To create this statistic, they looked at the population percentage of different racial and ethnic groups in each city. A lower number represents more diversity. Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 1-year American Community Survey.
- Economic mobility. This metric looks at generational change in economic position for families. A higher number shows greater mobility. Data comes from The Equality of Opportunity Project.
- Home value. This is the median home value in every city. For this study, a lower home value is considered better as we use it as a measure of affordability. Data comes from the Census Bureau’s 1-year American Community Survey.
- Unemployment rate. This is the unemployment rate by county. Data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and is for January 2018.
”To create the overall index, we ranked each city in each metric,” Miller wrote. “Then we found the average ranking for each city. Using this average ranking, we created our final score. We based our final score on that index. The city with the best average ranking received a 100 the city with the worst average ranking received a 0.”
For more information on the study, visit https://smartasset.com/mortgage/the-best-cities-for-living-the-american-dream-in-2018 or email press@smartasset.com.
[Information via news release from the city of Palmdale.]
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RayRay says
We’re living the American Nightmare in Rexville. The level of corruption and incompetence are unbelievable.
Alexis says
At only 11.2% of people voting in Lancaster, most people don’t care about the corruption.
10 dog says
What a dream, maybe in the fifty’s or sixty.
Tim Scott says
I lived here in the sixties. All I wanted was out.
Roberto Gomez says
I love Palmdale. I just wish it would rain more.
Alexis says
This is why it is the desert, Roberto. The desert gives, and it takes away. It can kill you if you’re not careful, or it can surround you with blooms of all colors after a season of rains.
Please says
The assumption is if you live in LA you live in Beverly hills Atwater village Hollywood hills Encino Sherman oaks South Pasadena. The truth is the average working person in LA live in a hot 1or2 bedroom apartment in Van Nuys or somewhere.. You fake people that hate the AV don’t try to sell me U all live in 800k housing in LA.
yep says
they do live in a 800k home in LA, but there are like three families cramped in one property and ten cars parked on the street with only three of the cars in working condition….but hey that’s the way they like it..go figure.
Samantha says
From our analysis, we discovered that violent crime in Palmdale occurs at a rate higher than in most communities of all population sizes in America. The chance that a person will become a victim of a violent crime in Palmdale; such as armed robbery, aggravated assault, rape or murder; is 1 in 222.
Palmdale Crime Rates and Statistics –
The truth says
It kills me that the assumption is everybody in LA lives is Beverly hills Hollywood hills Atwater village Encino So Pasadena the Truth is the AVE working person in LA lives in hot 1or2 bedroom apartment in Van Nuys somewhere. You fakes don’t fool me you all don’t have 800k for a average LA home.
Alexis says
I love Palmdale’s diversity!
Brittany says
Palmdale is cheap if wanting to buy a house… but I would hardly call Palmdale an American Dream. Lol
Tim Scott says
Ummmmm…you do realize that the term “American dream” originally referred to having the opportunity to own your own home, right? “Palmdale is a place you can buy a house” pretty much directly translates to “Palmdale=American dream.”
I mean, this “Smart Asset” group looks like some sort of real estate oriented marketing organization, so I’m not surprised their criteria are pretty much all about homebuying rather than a broader spectrum of quality of life aspects, but calling it an “American Dream” scale is at least pretty honest as far as what they are about.
ANNON says
WELL SAID….
Love it here. says
Well all of you who don’t enjoy living in Palmdale what is holding you here?if you hate it so much? I have been here 30+ years and I love it maybe because I find positive in things and stay busy I don’t have time to just write negative stuff about the city that I live in. Even people that leave because they hate this town so much then I read their commentis about how bad they had it here, why are you looking back, just move forward and try to be happy which I doubt. Because you will find something negative about your new place.
Tim Scott says
I moved here from Lancaster, and I think it is great.
That’s WHY I moved here from Lancaster.
A Place to Call Home. says
For years on this site, people who have moved away and still trash the Antelope Valley on these pages NEVER EVER say where they moved to.
Why not?
Over half a million people live in the Antelope Valley and Bryon says they are all low-income people. Yeah, look around you when stopped at a busy intersection such as Rancho Vista Boulevard and 10th Street West. It’s all old Chevys and Fords from the 70s. Right Bryon?
I guess Bryon lives in the ‘poor’ section of town and thinks the whole valley looks like his neighborhood. Then, there’s Tyrone. Same story likely.
Tyrone says
Do you know what’s nice about Palmdale? NOTHING
Tim Scott says
There are people who couldn’t find good in a free ice cream…are you one of them by chance?
Bryan says
How convenient a writer for Antelope Valley says how great Palmdale is. Palmdale is a s*** hole no one wants to live there the only ones that do are low income people. Trust me anyone that owns a home in Palmdale would kill at the chance of having a house in Los Angeles instead
Tim Scott says
What “writer for the Antelope Valley” are you talking about? SmartAsset certainly isn’t based in the Antelope Valley. The guy who wrote up the results for them lives in Brooklyn.
Why in the world should anyone trust you, since you are obviously babbling random nonsense?
Cowboy UP says
Uhm… “Low Income”? That SURELY must be why so many officers from Edwards WFB, Skunks Works, LEO and 1st Responders purchased their homes up here? Low Income? If $200K+ is low income, I’d better get some $$ back on my taxes.
You my friend are a little delusional.
CU says
Well this will set Rex’s hair on fire. :-)
Bill says
Probably just made him laugh his [removed] off and fall out of his chair
Alexis says
Isn’t this wonderful! I hope all the commenters that complain about the politicians in Palmdale, will stop complaining, and realize what a great city you live in.
Tim Scott says
Agreed…but we know that they won’t. Especially the ones who are on the Wrecks payroll who intend nothing but to tear down Palmdale to Lancaster level.
Alexis says
I’m not sure why anyone living in Palmdale would want it looking like Lancaster.
Tim Scott says
Because they see how milking Lancaster has personally enriched Wrecks and his cronies. Someone convinced they can secure a place among the select if they help get the Palmdale cash cow into a stall next to Lancaster who puts personal enrichment ahead of the public good would willingly make that sacrifice.
East Lancaster says
Palmdale is a great city because the politicians on Wrecks payroll have not completely taken over. If they do, expect what we have in Lancaster to become commonplace in Palmdale: cronyism, backroom deals, scams like LEAPS and Traction Seal, Palmdale sales tax going to Fern Street to finance the debt, solar farms destroying open space, Rex’s cronies on every bloody committee or board, more homeless, and so on and so forth.
Palmdale is a great city because it has had great leadership, something we lack in Lancaster.
When my upsidedown house is no longer upsidedown, I will leave Rexville.
Tim Scott says
Bingo.
Alexis says
O.K., then vote these politicians out that were voted for. So that should be the solution, right? Your last sentence says that Palmdale is a great city because it has had great leadership. I don’t see a problem. I along with others in Palmdale will continue to remain positive about this wonderful city, and disregard the constant complaining about Rex Parris and his cronies. After all, he is on his fourth term also, along with his puppets, and no one cares enough to go to the polls to change anything. Complaining doesn’t change anything, action does.
East Lancaster says
Alexis, your Pollyanna is showing. If you don’t think Rex and his minions are going to make Palmdale into a Lancaster satellite, then there’s nothing I or anyone can do to help you. Decades of living under the Lancaster mob teaches you a lot about how corrupt the machine is and how they will do just about anything to get power and money.
Have a good life, Alexis. You seem like a sweetheart, with a beautiful and compassionate heart, but terribly naïve. There are bad people in the world, and Lancaster has lots of them and they’re infiltrating Palmdale.
Just Say No says
Lancaster is corrupt to the core and now they are trying to bring the same type of corruption to Palmdale. Say NO to Lancaster’s Corrupt Political Influence. No to R. Rex Parris. No to Marv Crist. No to Drew Mercy. No to the candidates they support and finance.
Alexis says
@East Lancaster…I feel badly that you have to live like this. I hope all of this will get better for you, and you can be peaceful in this life.
Lee Ross says
Palmdale and Lancaster aren’t that bad, honestly.
They have their nice parts and their, shall we say, more “flavorful” parts :/
But, overall, these are good communities with pretty good people.
I speak on this honestly as I have lived in many other places including Oregon, Idaho, Nebraska, Florida, Georgia, Missouri and Texas.
Bill says
You speak this honestly? Do you sometimes not?
Rob says
smh I guess I’ll stop complaining