General Discussion

JT45242

(3,777 posts)

51. Don't know national averages but a little perspective

Sun Nov 30, 2025, 02:29 PM

Sunday

My oldest son graduated a couple of years ago from Rose Hulman Institute of Technology as a chem engineer.

He got $76k as a starting salary for a job from an internship in Richmond, Indiana. Two of his closest friends got $78 K for Chicago and Atlanta.

Son's tent for 2BR and 2 bath apartment was $850. Friends rents were $2000 or more for studio/1 BR within reasonable commute to work.

He has no problem paying $1100 a month student loan bill, got a car etc. his friends both abandoned initial jobs and moved back home to get on track.

So. I can easily believe that kind of number.

Could rent a decent place in Cincinnati suburbs for $1k or a little less but not a chance in Iowa City where I live now.

The disparity in housing costs are a ludicrous burden in areas that do not have sufficient affordable housing either thru lack of zoning for it, venture capital groups converting homes to air bnb, or flippers converting affordable units into luxury housing.

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Calico20

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An investor called $140,000 the new poverty line. Experts disagreed but said he had a point. [View all] Zorro Saturday OP

American Enterprise Institute has only one wing nilram Saturday #1

A fantasy snowybirdie Saturday #2

I would buy this sum is accurate (even low) if one desires to live in an expensive, desirable area AZJonnie Saturday #3

Why shouldn't a "lifestyle" include sports and 2 cars? leftstreet Saturday #5

I think that might be his point. yardwork Sunday #44

Ridiculous Greg_In_SF Saturday #4

When you start with a baseline of 40% dpibel Saturday #11

Well, then it Greg_In_SF Saturday #14

Well, feel free to trot out the figures dpibel Saturday #19

A map.... Greg_In_SF Sunday #32

Now you're just being obtuse dpibel Sunday #43

How dare you call me obtuse Greg_In_SF Sunday #55

DURec leftstreet Saturday #6

"It's laughable to put a poverty line far above the median income in the United States." mountain grammy Saturday #7

Yes, talk about circular logic! yardwork Sunday #45

Mr. Green's numbers sound about right. mwmisses4289 Saturday #8

"minimum rent in most areas is around $2000 a month" -Extremely wrong Wiz Imp Saturday #12

Be interesting to see how they came up with those numbers. mwmisses4289 Saturday #13

It's from the American Community Survey Wiz Imp Saturday #16

You'd have to limit the options to housing appropriate to a family of 4 EdmondDantes_ Saturday #17

I was responding to the claim that minimum rent was at leas $2000 Wiz Imp Saturday #23

That post mentioned families, and in the larger context of the thread EdmondDantes_ Sunday #49

✋ 🙄🫨😒🧱💤🚫🫷「 ✦ Bye ✦ 」 Wiz Imp Sunday #50

In my area in NC even a run-down unsafe apartment is more than $1,000. yardwork Sunday #46

Green's required net income: $118,009. The $136,500 is gross. For a family of 4. Celerity Saturday #26

That's another reason a lot of people Haggard Celine Sunday #33

That was the reason my wife worked part time until our daughter was old enough for elementary school NickB79 Sunday #41

Anyone hiring young people to six figures Johonny Sunday #42

Don't know national averages but a little perspective JT45242 Sunday #51

Several points here. First, "laughable to put a poverty line far above the median income" is itself laughable unblock Saturday #9

The basic definition of poverty is this: Wiz Imp Saturday #25

The observations have merit, even if the specific application of conclusion doesn't. unblock Sunday #31

I would think for most families of 4 it's enough to live on but very little disposable income for extras. Raftergirl Saturday #10

Good point Greg_In_SF Saturday #15

Big jump, no? dpibel Saturday #20

I see my Greg_In_SF Monday #56

LOL dpibel Monday #57

LOL!!! valleyrogue Saturday #18

But I believe you've missed the point dpibel Saturday #21

Residents making an annual income of up to $109,700 who are living in Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Celerity Saturday #22

To be fair, we are insane Sympthsical Sunday #39

Michael Green is a moron. Wiz Imp Saturday #24

This is a very convincing argument dpibel Sunday #27

Disagree (after reading it fully) & the $136,500 figure is gross, his required net income: $118,009. For a family of 4. Celerity Sunday #30

Spot on! DFW Sunday #37

Hyperbole much? JonAndKatePlusABird Sunday #40

Depends where you live. OAITW r.2.0 Sunday #28

People with decent incomes and wealth live beyond their means JI7 Sunday #29

That seems a rather blanket statement, sorta like "every immigrant from India is a math genius" DFW Sunday #48

I wouldn't call it a "poverty" line, but the "living wage" line. Below that, government subsidies are necessary. nt Blasphemer Sunday #34

you lose more than you gain as you move up from very low income levels Celerity Sunday #36

+1 Really good article leftstreet Sunday #47

Depends on Location and Demographics DET Sunday #35

The reactions to this are so goddamn illuminating WhiskeyGrinder Sunday #38

While most of the posts in this thread have been about housing costs, PoindexterOglethorpe Sunday #52

Child care is the largest cost in the OP article's example. Larger than housing cost. Celerity Sunday #54

"It's laughable to put a poverty line far above the median income in the United States." Grins Sunday #53