>>>If you have some of the highest housing costs in North America and the average income is that low (compared to the price of he houses) somebody must make money somewhere ?
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>>It doesn't make much sense. I think people are just in way way over their heads.
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>I believe that your inflated housing costs are due to the influx of Hong Kong folks over the past several years. Most that left were not exactly poverty stricken, which is why they could afford to leave. With their move to British Columbia being a prime haven (I believe that Canada put out the welcome mat for the $$ but I don't really know), it's not surprising that housing skyrocketed.
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>To respond to Michelle's vision of commuting....2 hrs one way in the Wash DC is area is done by many. Vans carrying commuters from PA even come to DC with 2 1/2 - 3 hr one way trips. In some of the neighboring counties to where I'm at and Fredericksburg, which are now bedroom communities of DC or Richmond VA, rush hour begins at 5 AM.
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>Steve

My office is in Arlington, next to DC. I know of only one person here who lives as far out as King George. Most of them are 1 hour or so away in places like Prince William and Stafford counties, which is as far as you need to go to get the cheapest ex-urban housing. Further than that is by choice, inertia, or a spouse working in another city. My middle class colleagues aren't paid enough to have 4 bedrooms and a yard within a few miles (Arlington or Fairfax) and aren't interested in night life anyway. An experienced programmer in this market could afford to live anywhere, however. Fairfax has the highest median income of any county in the US - about $90,000. Some of those people are probably programmers.