[michaelt]

[1] tells me a $350k mortgage with a 10% deposit, paid off over 15 years, costs $2,585 per month. That's $31k a year.

That kind of income with that kind of house price should be pretty comfortable, given you don't mention supporting a family. If your non-housing bills are costing $109k a year, there's a good chance you could reign in your lifestyle choices.

[1] https://www.bankofamerica.com/mortgage/mortgage-rates/

[xhkkffbf]

When many people talk about a salary of $140k, they're using pre-tax numbers. $140k can easily shrink to $90k, $80k or even $70k after tax.

[vel0city]

Where in the US would $140k become $70k after tax? Or do you mean after all other pre-tax adjustments such as insurance, 401ks, in addition to taxes?

[xhkkffbf]

Don't forget real estate tax and sales tax. In some places, real estate tax is about 20-30% of the rental cost. Sales tax is as high as 10% in some places.

[Rietty]

According to a friend I know who lives in the tri-state area that is what happens to them, but they max out 401K, have insurance etc.

[vel0city]

But that's not $140->$70 after tax, that's $140k->$70k after tossing $24k into retirement investment savings, another $5k into healthcare savings, possibly another $1,500 towards healthcare premiums (huge amount of variability there), and then finally taxes.

[esseph]

"lives in the tri-state area"

Do you know how many of those are in the US?

[lesuorac]

Well there's 50 states so 504948 is just 117,600.

[vel0city]

I bet it's just outside of Springfield.

[esseph]

Which Springfield? :-)

[solumunus]

> but they max out 401K

So then it’s not what happens to them is it?