Lovely work, all! I am just not graphically talented in the least, so I am impressed by any and all iterations. 

As to living situations, I think it's valid to say the player (or rather, the character's 'parents') choose where to live. For example, even if Mario's pizza place is wildly successful, his family might choose to live in the middle class section, just for funsies. 

Max actually lives in the apartments at the north end of the map, which I see as just slightly above LI housing. It is a single parent household, after all, with three children. I'd say the only reason they aren't in the LI housing is because Max's mother, a nurse, regularly works double shifts, and half of Max's paycheck at the gym (which I'll say is near the mall, which will give her that reason to be at the mall, tada!) goes toward groceries and the like. 

Also, since Jason, Max, and maybe one or two other characters (?) don't have cars, maybe we ought to discuss public transit?