How does the "middle class" survive in NYC?
 

Seriously? how do they do it? From the looks of things you're either homeless...or rich, with no in between.

not much different than Whistler. either you have serious money, or you barely survive.

prostitution and narcotics trafficking:2 cents:

Just like in SF, San Diego, Hawaii, etc.... 4 or 5 live in a studio apt. or make a weekly commute from 200 miles away...

how would you define the middle class in NYC?

what salary range?

I wouldn't define a salary range, but where do the people that work "normal" jobs live?

New Jersey

People who make $10k/month will never understand how people who make $5k/month manage to survive.
People who make $5k/month will never understand how people who make $2k/month manage to survive.
People who make $2k/month will never understand how people who make $1k/month manage to survive.

The more you make, the higher priced lifestyle you live.... making it very difficult to imagine living with less money.

Im kinda glad I dont live there..

Rent Control

who cares they are middle class

They all live in Queens or Jersey:1orglaugh

boroughs + rent control for the older people

did someone say queen on a jersey

http://www.teamestrogen.com/images/p...BRWJER_xlg.jpg

majority of people in Manhattan live with room mates, they get a 1br apartment and convert the living room to a 2nd bedroom. So the rent of $2400 for that 1 bedroom is now $1200 each which most of these $40k to $60K can afford. The other option is the cities like Astoria Queens, 1br apartment is $1200 and the commute is 10 mins by subway to midtown Manhattan. Parts of brooklyn are the same rent and 20 mins by subway to lower manhattan....Its a rare occurence to find someone in 20s and even 30s if not married that lives alone. They are all rooming and converting living room to a bedroom to cut rent....

You do not need a car in NYC, for $2 subway ticket you can get anywhere ($76 for unlimited 30 day rides card).

Food is expensive to buy. Went running in central park yesterday, bottle of poland spring water was $4 from street vendor cart. Last year it was $3 : (

oh, and you can get free WI-FI just about anywhere in city, so they save $40 a month right away...

by the way, there really is no more rent control in manhattan. and there is a big battle now over stuyvesant town to end its rent stablization and force the "working class" out of that area so they can raise rents....

Must have been a big bottle? I swear I only paid $2 a couple weeks ago.

Exactly.

However I find that the people who make more money over time start to confuse the definitions of 'wants' versus 'need'.

:2 cents:

When I lived in NYC, I was a service at the time made about 50 grand a year. Myself and two other roomies lived in a three bedroom apt on 55th and broadway. The rent was 2800 a month this was 13 yrs ago.I took the smallest room so my rent was 600 a month. I loved it.

I sell oranges on the street and newspapers for extra money

sport bottle. right where you can rent the rowboats... $4