Another cost of living chart

[Curmudgeon]

Interesting data, but probably not relevant to most of us. I think what they are doing is taking the average cost of living, and subtracting it from the average income. But
1) Most of us don't make the 'average income', in fact if you are retired your income is probably fixed and has little to do with where you live or move to
2) Most of us don't care about the cost of housing, because we already own a house which is mostly or totally paid off
3) It doesn't take into account the special tax situations which affect retirees and can significantly affect for net.

Very relevant though, for a young worker trying to figure out where to locate.

[Teacher Terry]

Maybe try a Packer bar) YOu won't like the property tax though but hey you will get services for your $. WE have honestly thought of moving back to retire for the LCOL but hey in Reno I wear a sweater as my winter coat. Not so much there.

[NW-Bound]

Glad to see AZ having 3 cities in the affordable list. But is housing the main thing that drives the COL?

I know that homes in CA are outrageously expensive, and homes in AZ have much lower prices. But just recently, watching HGTV as we only do up here in the boondocks home which does not have broadband Internet, we were amazed at the prices of homes in other places in the country. We saw homes going for $200-300K that would be worth $300K-400K in AZ.

So, perhaps there are other factors, such as food cost, fuel, utilities, etc...

[aaronc879]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teacher Terry So the bottom right side of WI has a bright pink circle when in fact you can buy a decent house in Kenosha, WI for 100k. Yet all of NV is a light grey and in Reno the average house now is 360k with the overall cost of living higher then Kenosha. I am not putting a lot of faith in this calculator.

It's not just about COL, it also includes income. Most places in WI are lower income.

[Blue Collar Guy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teacher Terry Maybe try a Packer bar) YOu won't like the property tax though but hey you will get services for your $. WE have honestly thought of moving back to retire for the LCOL but hey in Reno I wear a sweater as my winter coat. Not so much there.

I look good in green. Ill take it up with my ex partner. If he stays sober enough to listen to the conversation.

[NW-Bound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaronc879 It's not just about COL, it also includes income. Most places in WI are lower income.

Yes, I just thought of that too. The average worker does not make the same in all cities.

That still does not help the California average worker, as his wage while higher than other places is not 3x or 4x the wage elsewhere to make up for the superhigh housing cost.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teacher Terry Ever been to Kenosha? I have...no jobs left unless you run a bar. __________________ Yes I am from there and go back all the time to visit friends and family. they all have decent jobs.

I worked for the "Brass" and it's gone...along with American Motors. My best friend at the time opened a bar on one of the only street corners that didn't have one already. I assume he is still there. He was the CFO of the Brass Co when it shut down. My favorite spot in Kenosha was the Holiday Inn on the lake. We had poker games there in the rooms on the weekends. The town hookers used to go get us refreshments while we played poker.

The nicest thing about Kenosha is it is not in Illinois.

I haven't been there in years, but every time I hear the word Kenosha, memories of good times had back then pop in my head. I hope for the sake of the remaining residents that it has a stable employment base after all those folks have gone through.

[Teacher Terry]

Average weekly wage in Kenosha is 885 versus Reno which is 949. Not much difference considering that housing, food, gas etc all more expensive in Reno.

[meierlde]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teacher Terry So the bottom right side of WI has a bright pink circle when in fact you can buy a decent house in Kenosha, WI for 100k. Yet all of NV is a light grey and in Reno the average house now is 360k with the overall cost of living higher then Kenosha. I am not putting a lot of faith in this calculator.

Coloring the entire state of NV is partly a lack of data for most of the area of the state. For example Ely should be cheap since the copper mines shutdown (town of 3k) or Eureka along us 50 somewhat west of there. Even towns along I 80 should be cheap. (I just checked Ely and there are houses less than 100k there on Zillow). Now of course that means small town living and not a lot of nighttime options.

[Blue Collar Guy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 We had poker games there in the rooms on the weekends. The town hookers used to go get us refreshments while we played poker.

Wow, thats some card game

[Teacher Terry]

AJA: yes they had to switch to other jobs once the heavy industry dried up. They have really done a nice job of making the harbor area beautiful with walking paths on the lake, etc. The land between I94 and town is no longer empty. Some people drive to Racine or Milwaukee for work but that is not very far. Some people also commute on the train to IL or drive.

[Teacher Terry]

Coloring the entire state of NV is partly a lack of data for most of the area of the state. For example Ely should be cheap since the copper mines shutdown (town of 3k) or Eureka along us 50 somewhat west of there. Even towns along I 80 should be cheap. (I just checked Ely and there are houses less than 100k there on Zillow). Now of course that means small town living and not a lot of nighttime options.

Some towns out there really boom when mining is going well. Then you can't find a house to buy in Elko which is bigger then Ely but close to it. People working in the mines make a ton of $. But then when things dry up real estate prices crash.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teacher Terry AJA: yes they had to switch to other jobs once the heavy industry dried up. They have really done a nice job of making the harbor area beautiful with walking paths on the lake, etc. The land between I94 and town is no longer empty. Some people drive to Racine or Milwaukee for work but that is not very far. Some people also commute on the train to IL or drive.

TT, I am glad to hear the town pulled through as I was there during the really bad times when industry was in the tank and crime was bad. I was lucky as I ended up going back to Connecticut and took a really good engineering job.

I actually did pass through Kenosha over 20 years ago on a business trip and visited my old friend's bar and he was doing well and happy. I wonder where he is now, but he would be over 70 and probably retired.

[Teacher Terry]

Even though we were from there we left in 1993 because once I finished grad school for the 2nd time I could not get a professional job. The first time I just thought I chose the wrong major. My husband at the time was a tool and dye maker so could get a good job anywhere. My friends that have stayed all have kids that stayed and all have decent professional jobs.

[Teacher Terry]

When did you think crime was bad?

[Blue Collar Guy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teacher Terry Even though we were from there we left in 1993 because once I finished grad school for the 2nd time I could not get a professional job. The first time I just thought I chose the wrong major. My husband at the time was a tool and dye maker so could get a good job anywhere. My friends that have stayed all have kids that stayed and all have decent professional jobs.

Wow. I remember guys around here that were tool and dye makers in the 70's and 80's they were never out of work, and were paid like royalty.

[Teacher Terry]

My ex had a master's degree in math and made more as a tool and dye maker. He worked many weekends where they would pay him to read a book and wait for the line to break down. M-F he had to actually work of course. Sat was time and a half and Sun as double time. It paid cash for my 3 college degrees.

[Blue Collar Guy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teacher Terry My ex had a master's degree in math and made more as a tool and dye maker. He worked many weekends where they would pay him to read a book and wait for the line to break down. M-F he had to actually work of course. Sat was time and a half and Sun as double time. It paid cash for my 3 college degrees.

Yeah, thats how I remember that line of work. It was golden.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teacher Terry When did you think crime was bad?

Late 1970's when I was there but it is probably improved now that organized crime has found greener pastures.

[Blue Collar Guy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 Late 1970's when I was there but it is probably improved now that organized crime has found greener pastures.

The heyday of lawlessness here was 1994.