borebore@lemmy.worldM to Boston, MA@lemmy.worldEnglish · 6 months agoThe average Boston renter spends 47% of their income on housing. In Seattle, it's 28%. Why?www.wgbh.orgexternal-linkmessage-square6fedilinkarrow-up14arrow-down10
arrow-up14arrow-down1external-linkThe average Boston renter spends 47% of their income on housing. In Seattle, it's 28%. Why?www.wgbh.orgborebore@lemmy.worldM to Boston, MA@lemmy.worldEnglish · 6 months agomessage-square6fedilink
minus-squarenoahm@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up0·6 months agoThere’s actually a decent sized income gap between the two cities, which no doubt contributes. Rents looks very comparable. Median income for the city of Boston: $89,212 (source) Median income for the city of Seattle: $116,068 (source) Per the same source, median gross rent is very comparable between the two cities ($1,945 vs. $1,981 in Seattle vs Boston, respectively) Seattle has a higher percentage of its population with college degrees, which likely explains some of the higher income Seattle also has a higher percentage of owner-occupied homes, which probably influences this, though I’m not exactly sure how.
minus-squaresp3ctr4l@lemmy.ziplinkfedilinkarrow-up1·6 months agoSeattle, the actual city proper, only has a population of around 800k. But during work hours, it has a population of around 2.5 million. Basically a huge amount of people live outside the city limits, all the lower wage workers. Boston probably has a larger proportion of more poor people actually within its city limits.
There’s actually a decent sized income gap between the two cities, which no doubt contributes. Rents looks very comparable.
Median income for the city of Boston: $89,212 (source)
Median income for the city of Seattle: $116,068 (source)
Per the same source,
Seattle, the actual city proper, only has a population of around 800k. But during work hours, it has a population of around 2.5 million.
Basically a huge amount of people live outside the city limits, all the lower wage workers.
Boston probably has a larger proportion of more poor people actually within its city limits.