WHO ARE WE?
The backbone of older industrial cities in states surrounding the Great Lakes, Rustbelt Traditions residents are a mix of married-couple families and singles living in older developments of single-family homes. While varied, the work force is primarily white collar, with a higher concentration of skilled workers in manufacturing, retail trade, and health care. Rustbelt Traditions represents a large market of stable, hard-working consumers with modest incomes but an average net worth of nearly $400,000. Family oriented, they value time spent at home. Most have lived, worked, and played in the same area for years.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
• Almost half (46%) of the households are married-couple families, similar to the US (48%), most without children (also similar to the US); the slightly higher proportion of singles (Index 105) reflects the aging of the population.
• Average household size is slightly lower at 2.47.
• They are movers, slightly more mobile than the US population (Index 109), but over 70 percent of house holders moved into their current homes before 2010.
• Most residents live in modest, single-family homes in older neighborhoods built in the 1950s (Index 224).
• Nearly three quarters own their homes; nearly half of households have mortgages.
• A large and growing market, Rustbelt Traditions residents are located in the dense urban fringe of metropolitan areas throughout the Midwest and South.
• Most households have 1 to 2 vehicles available.
SOCIOECONOMIC TRAITS
• Most have graduated from high school or spent some time at a college or university.
• Unemployment below the US at 5.2%; labor force participation slightly higher than the US at 67%.
• While most income derived from wages and salaries, nearly 31% of households collecting Social Security and nearly 20%drawing income from retirement accounts.
• Family-oriented consumers who value time spent at home.
• Most lived, worked, and played in the same area for years.
• Budget aware shoppers that favor American-made products.
• Read newspapers, especially the Sunday editions.
