Silicon Valley:
- Median Household income: $74591* (national average: $40985)
- Cost of living: 186%* (national average: 100%)
- The cost of a house is typically over $400,000 and easily climbs to
$750,000 or more.
As one of those people (dot.com employees) who has caused the price
of housing and the cost of living out here to soar through he roof,
I see it as part of my social responsibility to help those who happen
to be under that mean value.
Not everyone will agree with the premise saying that its not something
that we need to do. And some will claim that the way I go about it,
is not the only thing I should do.
I tip well at the restaurants I go to, as do many of my co-workers and
drinking buddies. Tips on the order of 30% of the bill cost or more
are not unheard of at all - given that the service is good.
It costs a lot to live out here. It is all too common of an occurrence
that a dot.com pushes out some local establishment that makes this
place what it is. I doubt few dot.com'ers would enjoy the prospect
of never being able to go out to eat, because we have squeezed all
of the waiters and waitresses out. Or not be able to go out and listen
to the music that makes San Francisco what it is, because the musicians
don't make enough to live here.
*: these figures are mean averages based upon
http://search.realestate.yahoo.com/ of several south bay
communities. Population of the communities was not taken into account
in computing of the numbers.