Because the old Chinatowns, crowded and filthy, with their restaurants and souvenir shops, are located in the heart of city, Peter Kwong calls Chinese Americans living there "downtown Chinese" in distinction to "uptown Chinese," who are professionals, drive nice cars and live in the suburbs.
中國城多半在市中心，裡面多是餐廳、雜貨店及紀念品店，店面之後、顧客見不到的地方，則往往狹小陰暗，甚至經年不見天日，密密麻麻住滿在「城」裡謀生的人。龔彼得因此把生活在中國城的華人稱為「市中心華人」，以別於從事專業工作、開著轎車，住在郊區獨棟洋房的「郊區華人」。