I'm curious (Los Angeles, Beverly Hills: middle-class, houses, buying)

[MustermannBB]

Hopefully nobody will take offense to this but how are the "regular" people make it in LA?
Considering there are still a few millions living in this sought after city, they not all can earn six figures and upwards can they?!

I always read about the high cost of living and many times it is suggested that to live comfortably one would have to have an salary of around six figures or at least close to that.
Now call me naive but I just can't imagine that more than perhaps between 10 to 20 percent of the roughly 3 Million residents are actually bringing home 100,000$ or more annually.

Now I am aware that many people are leaving but on the other hand many people still move to LA yet.
I also have taken into account that there most likely are people (students for example) who live with roommates. However even in LA surely there are mechanics, carpenters, painters or other trait jobs similar or what about police officers, firemen, court employees etc etc. Surely they all don't have roommates or make 100,000$ or more. Many of them most likely also have a family.

So I guess what I'm asking in a nutshell is; is there really no middle-class left in LA?

BTW - I am not planing on moving to LA, just was/am generally curious, thank you!

[theraven24]

I can tell you truly don't believe people have to make six figures to live comfortably in Los Angeles. That statement is ridiculous.

[HyperionGap]

You rent.

[JohnG72]

If you have a family and make the median household income, you are poor. At $40k as a family you still qualify for the EIC. That's one household member making $20/hr. At $50k you are still poor. Around $70-80k, that's about the minimum for a family of four to live ok in the LA area. And these people will not be able to afford to purchase a home without drastic income increase or buying in an area everyone here recommends not to. Or they live an hour plus commute away.

For a family of four in LA, middle class is roughly $60k-$200k.

[JohnG72]

Also fwiw most of the occupations you cited make at least $70k+ and many earn over $100k. Plus many of those have spouses also working.

[nightlysparrow]

You live farther from the expensive areas and embrace commuting. Beverly Hills residents hire lots of carpenters and painters, but those workers don't live there.

[V8 Vega]

As far as police and firemen go they make fantastic money. If you can get a job in Calif. especally LA or LA County, working for the goverment, any job, you have won the lottery. Twice the pay of comparable jobs, retire early with a big pension and healthcare.
Were paying for this crap.

[MordinSolus]

Originally Posted by V8 Vega

As far as police and firemen go they make fantastic money. If you can get a job in Calif. especally LA or LA County, working for the goverment, any job, you have won the lottery. Twice the pay of comparable jobs, retire early with a big pension and healthcare.
Were paying for this crap.

That's just demonstrably false. The average salary for police officers in this country is $52,587 a year. The average LAPD officer pay is $66,750 a year.

[znlwovuhrjw]

Originally Posted by MordinSolus

That's just demonstrably false. The average salary for police officers in this country is $52,587 a year. The average LAPD officer pay is $66,750 a year.

This is also why my sister's husband and herself moved to Washington where the money was better. He's starting out at $65,000.

[saibot]

A lot of us bought houses way back when they were much, much cheaper.