Median Household Income (apartment, unemployment, living in)

[bluedog2]

Hey everyone ! Check this out! The median household income in Manhattan( ($47,000) is less than Staten Island ($55,000). What do we think of that? I love it .It is too funny! http://www.newsday.com/business/realestate/ny-census-nycincome,0,7242836.htmlstory (broken link)

[vantastic10]

Originally Posted by bluedog2

Hey everyone ! Check this out! The median household income in Manhattan( ($47,000) is less than Staten Island ($55,000). What do we think of that? I love it .It is too funny! Household Income -- Newsday.com (http://www.newsday.com/business/realestate/ny-census-nycincome,0,7242836.htmlstory - broken link)

That was ages ago(2000). Why bring up outdated info? You can't compare Manhattan with Staten Island.

[bluedog2]

Well,someone else pointed out that it was 8 years ago so I searched for newer figures.Turns out that Staten Island widened the gap in the intervening 8 years.As of 2007 the figures are: Staten Island Median Household Income $66,384,Manhattan Median Household income;$53,448 .
I am as surprised as anyone but facts can't be denied.
ERS/USDA Data - NY Unemployment and Median Household Income

And I don't live on staten Island

[A_Better_Bronx_2morrow]

The manhattan avg. income is lower because the lower income people from harlem, washington heights, inwood bring it down when you include them.

[bluedog2]

Originally Posted by A_Better_Bronx_2morrow

The manhattan avg. income is lower because the lower income people from harlem, washington heights, inwood bring it down when you include them.

These are median household income figures,not averages. That means that 1/2 the households in Manhattan make less than 53,448 and 1/2 make more.1/2 the households on Staten Island make less than 66,384,1/2 make more.
I think it is amazing that fully one half of all the households(not individuals) in Manhattan make less than $53,448 and some of those households have 2 wage earners.

[jawny08]

In Manhattan you may have 3 "households" in one apartment (3 single people). In SI more households have multiple earners in a household.

Per capita income is the correct way to compare. I wish the census would throw out the median household income figure since it is not an accurate representation.

[Coolhand68]

Many Manhattan residents are working in the service industry...waiters/waitresses, bartenders, cooks etc. They report their wages and "some" of their tips. They also live three or four to an apartment for hte bragging rights of living in the city while they go on auditions.

[DAS]

Also many of us in Manhattan have been living in the same place for years. If we had to start over we would probably have to leave the city.

[Shoegal1075]

I really would love to know what they base these figures on, because, almost all of my friends make more than that a year and that is not a combined income. Does this include those who are on a form of public assistance? I have to ask because, lets all do a reality check and see who could live in manhattan and eat on that median salary?

[Shoegal1075]

Agreed - this clearly is crap, because you can't survive in NYC on that unless you pay 300$ a month rent.