How much do you really know about your neighbors, and what do your neighbors think about you?

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee area neighborhoods have big differences in their residents’ demographics, types of businesses and entertainment venues, and neighbor relations.

Claritas, a marketing information resources company, uses a feature on its Web site called “You Are Where You Live” to profile the lifestyles of residents in every U.S. zip code.

This tool is called the PRIZM NE segmentation system. Data collected using this tool, along with opinions from students and faculty, shed some light on what life is like in each community.

UWM Area/Shorewood

Professor Paul Brewer recently asked one of his classes, “What prompts a drunken college student to yell ‘Woo!’ at 3 a.m. in the morning?”

That question is often asked, but many residents living in this neighborhood rarely receive a satisfactory answer.

PRIZM NE results classify most residents as “urban achievers” or “American dreams.” Residents are fairly ethnically diverse, young, educated and single or young couples. The American dreams segment makes more money and typically own homes compared with urban achievers, who are usually single renters.

Another classification for many residents in this area is “bohemian mix,” which represents the nation’s most liberal lifestyle. This group is composed of mostly young singles and couples who are college graduates and may move often. They also work in white-collar jobs and many are professors.

Ron Edari, associate professor of sociology, lives in the immediate area. He was born in Kenya and says he decided to live near campus under the assumption that neighborhoods near colleges are more tolerant.

“That is an allusion,” Edari said, explaining that anything or anyone different becomes an attractive target for immature pranks pulled by the college students populating the area.

“Last spring, someone was throwing bagels at my porch in the middle of the night,” Edari said.

“In the past two years, things have really gone down the drain,” Edari said. “The neighborhood residents who have not been part of this ungodly crowd have been living in a state of sheer terror.”

Virginia Carlson, associate professor of urban planning, proposes a solution. “If Carlos Santiago really wants to make UWM a place for innovation — stop the brain drain — he should concentrate on a more lively campus. More things to do,” Carlson said. “The East Side needs a more creative atmosphere.”

Brady Street to North Avenue

A businesswoman walks her perfectly groomed poodle past two vintage-clothing clad 20-somethings sitting at a coffee shop, while a homeless man with a scraggly white beard shouts profanities across the street. Welcome to the neighborhood.

Urban achievers and bohemian mix make up a significant part of these neighborhoods, but it is populated mostly by residents under the classifications of “urban elders.”

The urban elders segment is often struggling financially. Most are single, do not have college educations, work in service professions, and are over 55 years old. This segment is also ethnically diverse.

Since much of downtown also falls in this zip code, it is understandable why urban elders are the dominant segment in these areas. Many residences between North Avenue and downtown live in studio apartments.

“North Avenue is an epicenter of nightlife, which has changed this area a lot, giving it its own identity. Brady Street already has that,” said Dan Bialzik, an architecture and urban planning graduate student.

“What I like about the neighborhood is that I can walk to everything,” said William Velez, professor of sociology, who lives near Brady Street.

Velez says the neighborhood is very ethnically diverse and has everything one needs, like churches, bars, restaurants, pharmacies and video stores.

“It’s the most charming neighborhood in the city,” Velez said. “The number of fancy storefronts is increasing. It’s going to become very hard for students to afford.”

“Brady Street is more pretentious, with all the fancy places,” Bialzik said.

Riverwest

“What a difference a block makes” could be the neighborhood motto in Riverwest. Your sense of security while taking a walk could change dramatically, though most of it is safe and more down-to-earth than other area neighborhoods.

Riverwest’s PRIZM NE profile is quite different from the other UWM-area neighborhoods. The segments that are most prominent in Riverwest are “city roots,” “urban elders” and “multi-culti mosaic.”

The urban elders segment are typically poor, single, service workers over the age of 55.

City roots is classified as lower-income retirees who have settled in older homes and has a high Black and Hispanic population. People in the city roots segment are typically homeowners over the age of 65 who live low-key lifestyles.

Also ranking high in the Riverwest neighborhood is the multi-culti mosaic segment. It is classified as an immigrant gateway community. This population is very ethnically diverse, young and striving to rise above their status of lower-middle-class.

“It’s an urban pioneer neighborhood,” said Carlson, the urban planning associate professor. “There’s still that class conflict. There are differences block by block.”

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On the Net: Claritas “You Are Where You Live” Web site

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