It is that time of the year again.
The Social Security Administration has finally released the final wage statistics for 2023, and they are quite sobering.
According to the report, last year the “median wage” in this country was just $43,222.81. In other words, half of all American workers made less than $43,222.81, and half of all American workers made more than $43,222.81.
That is terrible news, because the cost of living has been rising much faster than paycheck have. More people are being squeezed out of the middle class with each passing day, but most Americans don’t even realize that this is happening because the media isn’t really talking about it.
Poverty, homelessness and hunger are all growing all around us, and if we stay on the path that we are on the middle class will continue to be systematically eviscerated.
Once upon a time, the vast majority of the country could afford to live a middle class lifestyle.
But now those days are long gone.
A study that was recently released found that it now takes more than $100,000 a year for a typical U.S. household to live “the American Dream” in all 50 states, and in 29 U.S. states it takes more than $150,000 a year…
A household would have to spend more than $150,000 a year to live the dream in 29 of the 50 states, according to an analysis published in April by the personal finance site GOBankingRates.
According to the report, the optimal American lifestyle would cost $137,842 a year in Ohio, $147,535 in Texas, $159,932 in Florida, $194,067 in New York and $245,723 in California.
The state that has the lowest cost of living is Mississippi.
Living the American Dream only costs $109,516 a year in that state.
I blame the democrats (and the sheep who follow) for this. The democrats demonization of big business, over regulation, AND the demands that minimum wage become a “Living wage” is what’s caused this new median wage.
The American Dream has had different meanings over time. Originally, it emphasized democracy, liberty, and equality. More recently, it’s been associated with achieving material wealth and upward mobility. Homeownership and education are often seen as paths to achieving the American Dream.
Dictionary
Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more
the American dream
phrase of American
noun: American dream
the ideal by which equality of opportunity is available to any American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved.
American Dream, ideal that the United States is a land of opportunity that allows the possibility of upward mobility, freedom, and equality for people of all classes who work hard and have the will to succeed.Oct 24, 2024
The term “American dream” was coined in a best-selling book in 1931 titled “Epic of America,” by James Truslow Adams, Adams described it as “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.”
The 5 elements of the American Dream are based on the American ideals of democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity, and equality. All five elements contribute to a person’s equal access to success.
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Live within your means. Don’t saddle yourself in extreme debt. Don’t stretch yourself to thin.
Don’t try to keep up with the ” Jones’ ”
Credit cards and credit card companies are not your friends. Learn to budget, beat debt, save and invest
But that includes part time jobs, teenagers in first time jobs, commissioned jobs, etc. A better metric would have been income per household, but that can be skewed by households with multiple teenagers with part time jobs, etc. The plain truth is that statistics can be made to say anything you want.
MAGA. $43,222.81 is more than enough to live safely and comfortably and happily. Unless you’re one of the people who let tv commercials and envying your neighbors influence your spending. Current levels of wealth, even this median amount, far exceed the historic averages. Stop crying. Accept responsibility for yourselves. We live in the best times in history!
🖕🖕 you try it 12:51
I have tried it, and succeed at doing it. My family lives perfectly well on roughly $30k. We eat healthy foods, drive a functioning old car, and don’t go into debt for nonsense that’s not necessary. Over many years we’ve saved and invested too, so we have a cushion to cover unexpected but inevitable expenses like when our old car eventually must be replaced, or whatever. You just have to be disciplined, and value your own freedom. That’s the American dream!
9:44, My newest vehicle is a 2006 with 230,000 miles, can afford a new one and frankly don’t want one, and our house and property is paid for. I’m retired on social security and a pension. with no money left over at the end of the month because we want to enjoy what little life we have left. It is impossible to live comfortably on $30,000, well maybe if you don’t pay taxes. I don’t squeak when I walk and tip well when eating out because I understand the American dream is a thing of the past. You know it too, but refuse to see the truth all around you. You and me both were very luck to live in the error we did. I fear what we experienced is impossible for generations to come.
Not really. In 1979, the year I bought my first house, I was making around 23K a year. $43,222.81 today was equivalent to 10K in 1979. No way I could afford to purchase a home with that yearly income back then.
12:51 – Are you serious? My math for $422,23 (I rounded up the whole dollar), take out 30% for taxes and that leaves $29,556, which is $2,463 per month. Now, go look at rent in Salisbury. Unless you want to live on “the reservation’ or one of the other slumlord dumps, you are looking at 2k to rent anything safe (forget buying a home on a salary like this). That means you go get a second job to pay for little things like electricity and food, and maybe some health insurance if you are lucky.
You are certainly not living the American dream in that salary.
You all can deny it because you don’t want to believe it but I am just trying to bless you with the truth. I am doing it and you can too. Stop watching tv. Stop watching commercials and stop watching advertisements. Stop watching what your neighbors and family buy. If you think you can’t live on 30k you’re just letting the elite victimize you. Live below your means, save and invest the rest, even if it seems like a pittance. It adds up over time and you CAN and will be free.
A study that was recently released found that it now takes more than $100,000 a year for a typical U.S. household to live “the American Dream” in all 50 states, and in 29 U.S. states it takes more than $150,000 a year…
$137,842 a year in Ohio, – $66.00 an hour
$147,535 in Texas – $70.00 an hour
$159,932 in Florida, – $76.00 an hour
$194,067 in New York – $93.30 an hour
$245,723 in California. – $118.13 an hour
The state that has the lowest cost of living is Mississippi.
Living the American Dream only costs $109,516 a year in that state. Or $52.65 an hour.