https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/under-100k-low-income-san-francisco-18168899.php
The State considers singles with less than $104,400 to be “low income”
Yea and the crazy thing is everyone says - people are moving out - and they are - but tell that to people trying to live there.
It’s absolutely nuts.
Even big tech is slowly leaving.
You really have to love it there or your big on paper salary to want that ……
I sometimes idly fantasize about leaving…But there really is nowhere else I’d rather live. Well, maybe Hawaii 
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^
I moved out of California three years ago for a teaching job and miss it a lot. I’d move back in a heartbeat if I could snag a job at a CA college.
Most of California isn’t as expensive as the Bay Area. I lived on about $25K a year as a PhD student in LA; money was very tight, but it was doable. The cost of living has gone up in the five years since I graduated, but a single person can do all right on much less than $100K.
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I was surprised that the State housing officials deemed that low income for a single.
Per the article, that $104K figure only applies to three Bay Area counties: Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo. Quite a bit less in other counties (though perhaps still high).
The people I know who live in the Bay Area say what they love is, among other things, the weather and the variety of nearby natural beauty. Like @worriedmomucb they can’t think of where they’d prefer to go, so they stay, in spite of the cost of living.
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Our S went to school and now works in the Bay Area (Palo Alto / Mountainview). He loves it there. However, only yesterday he returned to his apartment after attending a tech conference at in Vancouver BC. He says he would move there in a heartbeat given the proper opportunity.
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College graduates who move to the area normally get offers much more than what listed in the article. Every time I visit my DD I wonder how people not in tech, investment banking, doctors or lawyers can afford to live there. SF has a lot to offer for young professionals and surrounding nature is breathtaking
California is a beautiful place, at least lots of it is, in my opinion. It’s always been expensive. I moved from NYC to the west coast in 1995, after grad school. Growing up on the east coast, I always knew I belonged in the west. For me, it was a decision between the Bay Area and Seattle. My heart loved the Bay, but my mind told me it would be easier and more affordable to be in Seattle in my field (at least it was more affordable in 1995, it’s a lot closer COL now). But every time I visit my daughter in Palo Alto and explore the area, I can see having made a different choice. Will she stay in California after she graduates? No idea, too soon to tell.
There seems to be some disdain for all things California on CC, at least from a few members, and to me it always seems a bit like sour grapes. Why keep criticizing a place you don’t live? If you don’t like it, don’t visit or move there, but please respect those who have made a different life choice than you (i.e. smaller home, rent rather than buy their home, one car, no car (!), or simply fortunate to make enough money to make it work). There’s a reason the COL is high there, it’s a sought-after location for many.
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… In San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin counties, which have high housing prices compared to other counties in the area. The linked page shows lower limits for “low income” housing programs in other counties.
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Yes, that is in the headline of the article…
Vancouver is a really great city, so much diversity, really beautiful, vibrant, clean, great food, and awesome access to outdoors as well. I can’t imagine it’s any less expensive than the Bay Area.
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Most people we know bought their houses 20+ years ago when prices were a lot lower. It’s been common for many years to subsidize your lifestyle by spending home equity, a former colleague who moved to the Bay Area in 1962 bought his house for $15K but had a $300K mortgage by the time he retired in 2005 (and sold his house for over 100 times the purchase price).
The problem is that it isn’t sustainable for young people unless their parents can help them buy a house. I don’t expect any of my kids to come back after college.
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Vancouver Canada does average less expensive rent than SF, but prices have increased recently. For recent college grads, most in SF will likely make " low income" salaries excluding tech and some finance jobs
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Costs may have got closer but the differences in tax rates has increased, because state income taxes are no longer fully deductible. So your salary goes a lot further in Seattle.
Vancouver is a family favorite for us too (we live near Palo Alto) but from what I saw, house prices are pretty high there as well.
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Good point, we have no state income tax in WA.
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Also, a very functional public transportation system.
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I grew up there and only moved because my company did. I wanted to stay but employers knew my company was moving and I had two offers - but both intentionally lowballed. So many didn’t want to leave 70% turned down the offer to move so competitors knew they can snag people at 20-30% less but I made the choice to leave. My aunt bought in Palos Verdes in 1970. Low taxes. That’s the way to go. Both my kids were born there and for years missed it even if they barely remembered it.
Had my company stayed put I’d still be there. I paid $415k for 2300 sq feet in 2001. Today Zillow has 1.3 mil. My property tax was reasonable but if I had to buy today or was starting young today it’s be tough. High taxes due to new value at time of purchase. And I wouldn’t want to live that far from work. We had people in Victorville headed to LA. The carpool left 430 am. But to them it was worth being in Southern California.
I lived inland. Couldn’t afford near the coast. My drive was 45 mins to 90 mins, depending on time of day. Took my kids to Disney 2-3x a month on Friday nights for a few hours. Ate my wahoos tacos. . Grew up in San Diego which is heavenly - well moved there at 11 from NJ and went to middle and hs there.
No question it’s heaven if you can afford it but many young can’t. When I was in my old job with two incomes and 200k, we were fine. But as jobs opened in Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, the kids making $40-50k (15 years ago) were lining up to relo.
How will a young kid today afford a down payment ? Obviously if prices remain high it’s happening. But I don’t think people are criticizing CA…unless they are political. I personally don’t love the Bay Area but do love OC and San Diego.
But not sure I could afford to move back without serious financial pain.
The reality is, population has contracted the past few years. Companies are leaving. Mine left because TN bought them like Alabama buys college students. It was $240 mil worth of tax breaks. Governor Arnold offered an improved highway off ramp. Our largest local competitor moved after us to the Dallas area. The third, another Japanese company has moved some people to Ohio but mainly stayed put.
Other companies have moved and continue to move.
I’m not sure how the person in retail or who delivers food supplies or the postal worker or police or teachers afford to live - but I wish them well and in many ways I am jealous.
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It really depends on the individual. My D has lived in LA in her own room in a house for under $20,000/yr for over a decade now. She doesn’t live in luxury but she considers herself fairly comfortable and she’s way below $105,000.
Her friend owns the house and she pays rent and utilities. She has a used car and is fairly content.
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