Originally Posted by
SonicFlyer
If you can't raise a family on $100k, then you are living in the wrong place.
Not everybody can live in Podunk, KS.
Some have family and lives elsewhere. Others just couldn't stand the small town, and left for a reason.
Major metro area, you need 200K for the stereo-typical upper middle class life. That includes house with a yard (and no burglar bars), vacations, kid's college, and retirement at age 65. Also food costs more than you might think... assuming real food, not the packaged/processed crap at your chain grocery (but that's probably your only choice in Podunk Falls).