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Old 05-05-2016, 08:54 AM
 
161 posts, read 214,191 times
Reputation: 49

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I'm interested in hearing other opinions on what you feel a family of 4 needs to earn to live comfortably in the metro area. I know comfortable means different things to different people but use your best judgment - obv not an extravagant lifestyle but not meager either. Also, the family would not be using private schools. I ask because I was quite surprised by what folks said was needed on the Chicago boards and since Boston area is more expensive so now I'm curious.
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Old 05-05-2016, 09:04 AM
 
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,938 posts, read 36,935,179 times
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You'll hear anything from $80k-250k, maybe even more, its an impossible question.
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Old 05-05-2016, 10:00 AM
 
161 posts, read 214,191 times
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Any other thoughts? I don't think 80k here for a family of four would make it far in Boston or suburbs unless you had some kind of unique situation.
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Old 05-05-2016, 10:04 AM
 
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,938 posts, read 36,935,179 times
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Well a lot of households and families earn A LOT less in the Boston area and would think they're on easy street and living large if they made 80k.
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Old 05-05-2016, 10:06 AM
 
1,708 posts, read 2,909,169 times
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Can't ask that question without knowing expenses and work location.

I know double income high earners who swim in debt and can barely stay above water.

I know couples who work for non-profits who come from old money and live a very comfortable life.
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Old 05-05-2016, 10:06 AM
 
Location: New England
2,190 posts, read 2,230,657 times
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It all depends on what comfortable means to you. If good public schools are a must than that increases the salary needed to be able to afford a home. Another issue is your tolerance to commute times. If you can deal with a hour train ride/drive into the city than the home costs will be much lower than if you must live near downtown.

Overall though I would say somewhere between 100k-200k. It depends immensely on the town or neighborhood that you live in though.
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Old 05-05-2016, 10:16 AM
 
Location: Needham, MA
8,547 posts, read 14,012,666 times
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As others have said, this is just entirely too broad of a question to give any kind of reasonable answer.
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Old 05-05-2016, 10:20 AM
 
15,793 posts, read 20,472,889 times
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Too many variables still. There are some towns in metro Boston that are less expensive than other towns. It also depends on your standard of living and level of recreation and family expenses.


https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/20...BVJ/story.html


A year old, but should give you some sort of idea
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Old 05-05-2016, 10:26 AM
 
161 posts, read 214,191 times
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Well if anyone is interested...chicago folks more or less agreed to 200k so I will just assume similar since this is a more expensive area.
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Old 05-05-2016, 10:29 AM
 
161 posts, read 214,191 times
Reputation: 49
Also this isn't for me personally...mostly curious as to what others thought
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