Final answer:
The assertion that upper- and middle-class members of an ethnic community typically remain in their first settled area is false. Historically, these groups have moved to suburbs or gentrified areas to reflect their higher social status and improved quality of life.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that upper- and middle-class members of an ethnic community tend to stay in the area first settled is generally false. Historically, middle-class families have often left urban centers for the suburbs as a way to improve their living conditions, away from the crowded cities. These suburban movements were facilitated by improvements in transportation and a growing sentiment that living further from the city denoted greater affluence. Meanwhile, upper-middle-class families also pursued comfortable living, which sometimes meant moving to even more affluent areas or gentrified neighborhoods.
Middle class and upper-middle class dynamics, influenced by the notion of separate spheres and the Cult of Domesticity, allowed these groups to create distinct identities separate from the working class, often by physically relocating to demonstrate their social elevation. This reality is underpinned by the fact that while many immigrants settled in ethnic enclaves within major cities, it was not just due to a preference for proximity but also because of economic and social pressures which made it necessary or convenient for community support and retention of cultural identity.
Thus, the trend among the ethnic middle-class is more in line with upward mobility and spatial relocation to reflect their status and achieve a higher quality of life rather than remaining in initial settlements, which is more typical of newly arrived immigrant communities with less economic means.