Originally Posted by
Xtreme87
$130k is an average at best income if you live in any of the 3 out of the 5 bases where home prices are $500k+ or rent over $2000 a month. First year pay is poverty in these bases. Yes, it's probably amazing if you live in middle of nowhere Indiana where you can live like a king, but some people refuse to put themselves through the torture of commuting.
That's by definition not poverty. If you want to see poverty look at that actual number. Look I totally get it. I want to live great not average as well. Point is 130K a year puts you in the top 10% of income earners in the US despite where you live. There's plenty of people living in NYC at an income below 130K. What you're saying is that your money doesn't go very far in certain locales but that dosen't mean it's a poverty wage. I've seen poverty first hand. It's not 130K; it's deciding between food or medicine.