Poor with income of $60 000 in the Silicon Valley

Shocking and interesting headlines of the San Jose Mercury Newspaper of today: Middle-class incomes dwarfed by Bay Area's high housing costs. Housing in the Silicon Valley is really expensive, and some people have problems to find an affordable home.

Indeed, the article of today's issue tell us the story of Manuel Navarro and his family, who earns $60,000 and have a record of 17 years of steady employment. It took them five years to fin a $1,300 affordable apartment in San Jose.

The poverty line
But the most shocking article is definetely the paper version's one. Indeed, the poverty line for a family of 4 in 2006 is $20,444.
In average, to live in Silicon Valley it costs :

• $29,633 for a single adult
• $53,075 for a two parents family with one working
• $65,864 for a single parent
• $77,069 for two working parents

That blods first that the living in the Silicon Valley is outrageously expensive. But I must say that people are pretty well paid too.
But secondly, and most important information, that shows that the poverty line is relative and corralated to the place you live. You could be a 60,000 dollars familly and barely make a leaving in the Silicon Valley.

This poverty line shoud then be adjustable, depending on the place you live. But this article is seriously alarming about the situation of poor-middle class californian.