Bay Area tops in Average Income Left Over After Housing Costs?

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by Independentthinking

Notice how he dodges everything that is presented to him and insists on just looking at gross income. And yet, what's relevant is your net income less your expenses. So of course, taxes are a huge chunk, in addition to how much more you will pay for things, living in a high COL area like San Jose.

From the start, I told him that his chart was useless without taking into consideration the COL. If he had simply went to a COL calculator, he would have realized that there were multiple places across the country where your income would go further and offer a much more comfortable financial environment. But of course, he immediately tried to twist things and cherry picked Orlando vs San Jose.

If one simply looks at a COL calculator (which takes into account things like taxes, gas, child care,etc.) , it will easily put his disingenuous article to rest

Cost of Living Wizard | Salary.com

I believe there are like 9 states where you don't pay state taxes. Off the top of my head (since I know people who have made this move), let's look at Austin, Texas. And admittedly, what better example, since it has a huge tech presence (so a very likely move for someone that works in Silicone Valley), not to mention as Liberal as the Bay Area. The COL in San Jose is 64.7% higher. Looking at the calculator, one would nearly need to make $79,500 in Austin to match his disingenuous average income of $130,000 in San Jose.

And here are your direct comparisons

San Jose, California City Salary, Average Salaries | PayScale

Austin, Texas City Salary, Average Salaries | PayScale

Yeah, you could cherry pick a profession and find one that might work. But using the OP's average of $130K, this whole argument is simply a joke. Not to mention, you would be living in a McMansion in Austin compared to the the little Crackerbox in San Jose.

But that's what happens when you believe everything your read on the internet and treat nonsense like it's Gospel.

Again, there are a multitude of location where one can live much more comfortably financially than San Jose.

He's wrong, but is simply too stubborn to admit it.

Haha no I think your cost-of-living comparison is flawed because it's not realistic.

Talk about believing anything you see on the internet.

[Independentthinking]

Good Grief,

ROTFLMAO!!!! Yeah, look folks... it's now my source. And these are all wrong too, huh?

Cost of living: How far will my salary go in another city? - CNNMoney

Cost of Living Calculator - Cost of Living Comparison Index Tool

https://www.nerdwallet.com/cost-of-l...isco-vs-austin

Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not ok

[18Montclair]

Furthermore, its amazing how people in supposedly more economically realistic places tend to be wannabe posers and 30,000-a-year millionaires.

ijs

[phantompilot]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

Well I do.

The average annual compensation per job in San Jose is close to DOUBLE the national average.


I dont care how cheap the midwest is, there is no comparison as far as average earnings potential.

So, yes....we have 2x income, but housing is 4-6x the national average.

You can't ignore that. That's one of the top three factors in Cost of Living. The other two being Taxes, and Insurances. All of those three top factors are higher than the national average.