What does it actually cost to exist here?
These are real figures, not guesses. Change any of them to match your life, the answer updates as you type.
No savings. No retirement. Nothing unexpected.
You need to earn
$31.97 / hour
$4,738/month · $66,498/year before tax
at a 14.5% effective tax rate, 40 hours a week
Against what people here actually earn
| Median household income | $56,000 as of Sep 2026 · Census |
| What this life costs | $66,498 |
| Gap | $10,498 short |
The average person here is short by $10,498 a year. That gap doesn't disappear, it goes onto a credit card. Which is why the average balance is what it is.