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weknowbetter | 3 years ago

Anecdotally I know a lot of people who work full time in the US and make well under 30k a year.

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HEmanZ|3 years ago

And for every one making under 30k per year there is one making over 80k per year.

And, very interestingly and more nuanced, you can take into account how a person changes over time. For example, while I was a grad student, I worked full time and definitely fell under the poverty line. But would you really consider me a poor/destitute person?

About 60% of Americans break into the top 20% of household income at some point in their lives(>$110k/yr). In the same vein, almost 20% of Americans will earn less than the poverty rate at some point in their lives ($24k/yr).

Like I said, I think Americans have many problems, but if there is one thing we are good at it is income (and the consumption that comes with it).

https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2014/05/05/308380342/most...

mlyle|3 years ago

Yup... half the people will be below the median.