Houston tops in income adjusted for COL (Dallas, Fort Worth: 2014, apartments)

[bu2]

http://blog.chorn.com/opportunityurb...the-chronicle/

Article discusses how "new urbanism" is serving the elites well, but not the middle class or poor. Houston with a less controlled growth is generating higher salaries adjusted for costs.

How to measure ‘living well’
The one statistic that best encompasses the success of the Houston opportunity model and exposes the weakness of smart growth is the cost-of-living adjusted average paycheck (see chart).
[CENTER][/CENTER]
Despite the assertions of New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, among others, that the Texas urban economy is based on low wages, Harris County’s average household income is above the national average; close to that of Boston. But once the cost of living is factored in, Houston does far better for its citizens compared to any of the legacy cities.
Houston, with Dallas-Fort Worth a strong second, is able to provide its citizens the highest standard of living, as measured by average annual adjusted wages, of any major metro area in America. This is different from subjective “quality of life,” but includes such basics as jobs, housing and overall cost of living.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by bu2

http://blog.chorn.com/opportunityurb...the-chronicle/

Article discusses how "new urbanism" is serving the elites well, but not the middle class or poor. Houston with a less controlled growth is generating higher salaries adjusted for costs.

How to measure ‘living well’
The one statistic that best encompasses the success of the Houston opportunity model and exposes the weakness of smart growth is the cost-of-living adjusted average paycheck (see chart).
[CENTER][/CENTER]
Despite the assertions of New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, among others, that the Texas urban economy is based on low wages, Harris County’s average household income is above the national average; close to that of Boston. But once the cost of living is factored in, Houston does far better for its citizens compared to any of the legacy cities.
Houston, with Dallas-Fort Worth a strong second, is able to provide its citizens the highest standard of living, as measured by average annual adjusted wages, of any major metro area in America. This is different from subjective “quality of life,” but includes such basics as jobs, housing and overall cost of living.

Excellent, thanks for posting !

P.S. You should post this in the Texas forum Houston vs Dallas thread....

[theSUBlime]

FYI my fellow Houstonians, this is where the "Houston is cheap" thing comes in -- not that that isn't changing, and rapidly (and it's not cheap compared to living in the middle of nowhere). When you look at how tightly people are living elsewhere, literally and figuratively, you see that we are quite a bargain. You know, we could all be 35+ and renting a closet with 2 experimental artists in the city.

[PDXNative2Houston]

This is the epitome of why people are moving here, including me.

One can make great wages, still afford a house in their 20's (that is actually relatively new, and in a decent neighborhood), and move up in their career quite fast.

Compare that to Portland, OR where I'd still be apartment hopping, paying more for gas/food/utilities and wouldn't be making half of what I do now. But damn it I do miss those mountains, hills and trees.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by theSUBlime

FYI my fellow Houstonians, this is where the "Houston is cheap" thing comes in -- not that that isn't changing, and rapidly (and it's not cheap compared to living in the middle of nowhere). When you look at how tightly people are living elsewhere, literally and figuratively, you see that we are quite a bargain. You know, we could all be 35+ and renting a closet with 2 experimental artists in the city.

My old 1br off South Main that rented for $520/mo in 2007 is now going for $740. Old building (ca. 1970) that's certainly not better than it was before. This is mainly because some overpriced townhomes are across the road, along with some new apartments around the corner averaging about twice this old place. But, amenities? Yes, it's kind of close to TMC and Reliant, but as for anything else I had more within walking range in Texas City where the same apartment would be ~$500, and that same apartment in a comparable location here in Dayton (Ohio, not Texas) might be even less. I probably drove further to the grocery store all said. So, "middle of nowhere" is a relative term I suppose. For the same price inside the loop, you're closer to your roommate scenario. Maybe it'll be a proper room and not a closet.

Hm, Detroit's not looking too bad according to this chart. Maybe I'll go scout it out.

[SouthernBoy205]

It's ahead by a pretty good margin too.