For those of us concerned with America’s growing inequality, the news on Wednesday wasn’t exactly surprising.
The Pew Research Center reported on Dec. 17 that the gap between the wealthiest Americans and everyone else is at its widest point in at least 30 years.
Last year, the median net worth of the wealthiest households was $639,400, nearly seven times as much of those in the middle and nearly 70 times the level at those at the bottom, including those working for minimum wage.
The U.S. Census 5-year estimates for 2009-2013 put Boulder County’s median household income at $67,956. That’s compared with $53,046 nationwide.
Looking a little closer at Boulder County, we see that 17.2 percent of households earned more than $150,000 a year. But 38.8 percent of households earned less than $50,000 a year. That top tier was just 11.7 percent in the county in 2000. That stands to reason as top incomes have increased over time. But the bottom tier was also smaller in 2000: 31.6 percent.
What does this mean in Boulder County, and places with growing income disparity? The median household income here is high, and there is a high percentage of top earners. That can make it even harder for those starting out with less to live well here. Costs like rent, mortgages, and child care expenses are all influenced by the high income levels here.
