[Lalalally]

22 years ago, before kids and before marriage, my husband and I made a combined income of $70k. Just the two of us, renting a townhouse in Danbury for $900/month. We were comfortable, but not living large. But that was 22 years ago... We would be living paycheck to paycheck if we had to do that now with kids.

[Raider111]

Originally Posted by CTartist

"We would have a substantial deposit worth around 40% of our house purchase price"

You all missed this in the OP's original post but as someone who worked in the mortgage department of a bank........I did not.

This is what will allow the OP to live a nice life style on $70,000 to $90,000 in the Hartford area.


https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/...d/pid_18004499

So I picked a $300,000 house in Glastonbury* (link above). I hear people say that is a nice town. Mortgage and taxes = $1332 a month with 40% down. The mortgage interest is front loaded in a mortgage so a large part of the mortgage and all of the taxes are deductible at first so that will bring the mortgage down to about $200 dollars less after deductions are realized. (deduction number estimated but I bet I'm close)

$1132 for a monthly mortgage payment after deductions are realized looks like a pretty good life in the Hartford area to me.

Cheers OP

I would say about 99% of people with hhi of 70k (guy works in body shop or changes oil and the lady is a secretary) dont have 120k in cash for a downpayment.

[Henry10]

Originally Posted by Raider111

I would say about 99% of people with hhi of 70k (guy works in body shop or changes oil and the lady is a secretary) dont have 120k in cash for a downpayment.

They would, in the form of equity on the house.

[CTartist]

Originally Posted by Lalalally

22 years ago, before kids and before marriage, my husband and I made a combined income of $70k. Just the two of us, renting a townhouse in Danbury for $900/month. We were comfortable, but not living large. But that was 22 years ago... We would be living paycheck to paycheck if we had to do that now with kids.

This is for the OP. Yet once again, Danbury is in Fairfield County.

OP Please note towns that surround Danbury below.

Ridgefield: HHI $115,798
Redding: HHI $137,916
Bethel: $76,981
Newtown: $126,954
Brookfield: $109,534
New Fairfield: $111,744

Now I am going to pick a town that one would live in and work in Hartford. I pick Harwinton because I have friends and relatives there and they work in Hartford. And trust me they are living a way better life than me on a lot less money. They have bigger houses for a lot less money too.

Torrington: HHI $55,176
New Hartford: $87,053
Burlington: $113,455
Bristol: $64,466
Plymouth: $67,499
Litchfield: $73,286
(btw, being from Stamford I had never heard of these towns with the exception of Litchfield so this is the first time I am seeing these towns income)

[SeaDoo342]

Originally Posted by CTartist

This is for the OP. Yet once again, Danbury is in Fairfield County.

OP Please note towns that surround Danbury below.

Ridgefield: HHI $115,798
Redding: HHI $137,916
Bethel: $76,981
Newtown: $126,954
Brookfield: $109,534
New Fairfield: $111,744

Now I am going to pick a town that one would live in and work in Hartford. I pick Harwinton because I have friends and relatives there and they work in Hartford. And trust me they are living a way better life than me on a lot less money. They have bigger houses for a lot less money too.

Torrington: HHI $55,176
New Hartford: $87,053
Burlington: $113,455
Bristol: $64,466
Plymouth: $67,499
Litchfield: $73,286
(btw, being from Stamford I had never heard of these towns with the exception of Litchfield so this is the first time I am seeing these towns income)

Uh.... you are literally making zero sense.... cost of living in Danbury is not much different than the cost of living around Hartford... there is no imaginary line saying that once you cross the bridge from Newtown to Southbury or Stratford to Milford or Shelton to Derby, cost of living drops like crazy.

Your thinking is so skewed...

[BPt111]

Originally Posted by CTartist

This is for the OP. Yet once again, Danbury is in Fairfield County.

OP Please note towns that surround Danbury below.

Ridgefield: HHI $115,798
Redding: HHI $137,916
Bethel: $76,981
Newtown: $126,954
Brookfield: $109,534
New Fairfield: $111,744

Now I am going to pick a town that one would live in and work in Hartford. I pick Harwinton because I have friends and relatives there and they work in Hartford. And trust me they are living a way better life than me on a lot less money. They have bigger houses for a lot less money too.

Torrington: HHI $55,176
New Hartford: $87,053
Burlington: $113,455
Bristol: $64,466
Plymouth: $67,499
Litchfield: $73,286
(btw, being from Stamford I had never heard of these towns with the exception of Litchfield so this is the first time I am seeing these towns income)

Living in Stamford everyone pretend they live in NYC

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by CTartist

This is for the OP. Yet once again, Danbury is in Fairfield County.

OP Please note towns that surround Danbury below.

Ridgefield: HHI $115,798
Redding: HHI $137,916
Bethel: $76,981
Newtown: $126,954
Brookfield: $109,534
New Fairfield: $111,744

Now I am going to pick a town that one would live in and work in Hartford. I pick Harwinton because I have friends and relatives there and they work in Hartford. And trust me they are living a way better life than me on a lot less money. They have bigger houses for a lot less money too.

Torrington: HHI $55,176
New Hartford: $87,053
Burlington: $113,455
Bristol: $64,466
Plymouth: $67,499
Litchfield: $73,286
(btw, being from Stamford I had never heard of these towns with the exception of Litchfield so this is the first time I am seeing these towns income)

Nice cherry pick of subpar Hartford area suburbs and upscale Danbury area suburbs. Try again with equivalent Hartford area towns (Wethersfield, Canton, Simsbury, Farmington...) and maybe don't leave out more affordable towns easily commutable to Danbury (New Milford, Southbury, Oxford, Shelton, Middlebury, Woodbury, Watertown).

[JayCT]

To get back to the topic of the OP, the answer to the question asked is YES, a family can live in greater Hartford on an income of $77,000. Of course they would be living modestly and whether they will be comfortable is arguable at best. No one here knows the OP's circumstances or expectations. They were simply asking if it is possible and it is. In fact many people do live on that or less. Jay

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JayCT

To get back to the topic of the OP, the answer to the question asked is YES, a family can live in greater Hartford on an income of $77,000. Of course they would be living modestly and whether they will be comfortable is arguable at best. No one here knows the OP's circumstances or expectations. They were simply asking if it is possible and it is. In fact many people do live on that or less. Jay

Again, their income is not 77k. It is 62k. For your average family of four, it would be very difficult to do. I would not recommend it unless they are compensated generously for the cost of living difference. Anyone who does is fiscally irresponsible.

[beerisgood02]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Again, their income is not 77k. It is 62k. For your average family of four, it would be very difficult to do. I would not recommend it unless they are compensated generously for the cost of living difference. Anyone who does is fiscally irresponsible.

Agreed. They will be eaten alive here on 62k.
What if they need to replace a roof, or furnace, etc. Things always pop up and they won't have the means to make everything work.