Rich, my claim is substantiated by the salaries in my industry and the rents around the South Orange County area. Rents are not that much higher at all. In 2005 I moved to Lake Forest renting a 1bd there for $1,250/mo. The current rent for that exact unit, 10 years later, is $1,345/mo., it has increased 7.6% in a decade which I hardly call substantial!
However, now I live in Costa Mesa and pay $1,220/mo. for a larger apartment with a garage and I am only blocks from Newport Beach.
You can give me your statistical data all day long, which is what Economists do, but it does not match the reality on the ground. I am giving you actual data with my specific case.
I work as a Sr. Software Engineer, been doing it since 1997, pay in my industry has not increased since 2005. I am making $2,000/yr more now compared to my 2005 pay. And I am topped out in my payscale, I see job listings paying even less than what I am making for the same experience level.
You claim pay has increased substantially, let me then send you my Resume and we will see if you can get me a job for substantially more money than my 2005 income 😉
My data is real world, on the ground. Sure, it applies only to the tech industry but let me know in which other industries has pay substantially increased in the last decade?
