So where do the working class people live ? (San Francisco, Oakland: appointed, apartment)

[BigRay5264]

Seems my minimum wage $52k won't cut it in SF...rents are just insane for 1 bdrm apts... I guess us poor folk have no choice but to commute from further out.

[dalparadise]

As with most highly desirable cities, it's tough to break in. At $52K, you will need to:

- Get roommates if you want to live in The City. Sharing a large flat with 3-4 other people is how many offset expensive rents.

- Get a studio apartment with a bit of a commute. You can still live in The City, you'll just have to take a bus or train to get to some of the fun spots. I don't think $52K quite puts you in a place in the hot neighborhoods, though, and if it did, you wouldn't be able to afford much other than your rent.

- Get a 1BR in South City, Daly City, Pacifica, Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, etc. Nothing wrong with these places. Using public transportation and discovering the unique things in these places is part of living in the Bay Area.

Get a better job. If you're just coming to SF for an extended vacation, you'll ultimately be disappointed. People come here to advance their careers and quality of life. So, prepare to tough it out for awhile and make concessions for the expensive COL, but use that time wisely and be alert for advancement opportunities. They are everywhere in SF, for those with the drive to find them.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Manteca.

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by BigRay5264

Seems my minimum wage $52k won't cut it in SF...rents are just insane for 1 bdrm apts... I guess us poor folk have no choice but to commute from further out.

Yup...it's what most people do.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by BigRay5264

Seems my minimum wage $52k won't cut it in SF...rents are just insane for 1 bdrm apts... I guess us poor folk have no choice but to commute from further out.

Or room share, or buy a tiny condo for around $200K.

[DocGoldstein]

If you make $52k in the Bay Area, you live where you can afford to.

I think the problem arises when people think "Hey I'm full-time employed! I should be able to live close to work, have 1,500 sqft, and have a Trader Joes close by in a crime free walkable neighborhood." Well, guess what, the couple who pulls in $250,000 combined also wants that, and is willing to pay MORE for it.

Some places are simply more desirable, and people want to live there more than other places. Location to work, schools, lack of crime, all things people consider before plopping down roots. There's a reason why Walnut Creek commands higher housing prices than Oakland, Richmond, or Vallejo.

[rparz]

If I didn't get paid enough to live comfortably, I never would have moved from Chicago.

You want to live a life where you can kick back, scrape together a little savings and set yourself up for the future, not get stuck in a repeating cycle of living check to check barley making ends meet. What kind of quality of life is that?

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by BigRay5264

Seems my minimum wage $52k won't cut it in SF...rents are just insane for 1 bdrm apts... I guess us poor folk have no choice but to commute from further out.

Most of my friends make around $50-55k and they live in the city. Rent a room from a shared apartment and commute by public transportation and you can still live a good life on that salary in SF.

[ssmaster]

To put this in perspective.$53k in San francisco is like $26k in most parts of america.
that's a struggle you want a house in a nice area with good schools for kids

[dalparadise]

Originally Posted by rparz

If I didn't get paid enough to live comfortably, I never would have moved from Chicago.

You want to live a life where you can kick back, scrape together a little savings and set yourself up for the future, not get stuck in a repeating cycle of living check to check barley making ends meet. What kind of quality of life is that?

People move to places like Houston or Pittsburgh to "kick back" and scrape together some savings for retirement. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's a factory worker's mindset.

People who move to cities like San Francisco, New York, Boston and similar places move for the unique opportunities to carve their way and use their unique talents. Often, that requires some amount of struggle over time, with a payoff down the road in monetary rewards for hard work and savings for a comfortable retirement.

The cost of entry into places that support this kind of ambition and that reward the talent and work ethic needed to achieve it is an insurmountable barrier to many. Throughout most of my life, I was always taught that was a good thing. Otherwise, if just anyone, with no unique skill or ambition, could do as well by "kicking back" as someone who is willing to put in the work to realize a dream, no one would bother dreaming or doing anything.