The Argus did a graphic of wealth in Sioux Falls. Not surprising to me, something I have known for awhile. Over two-thirds of households in Sioux Falls make under $50,000 a year, over a third make below living wages. And we wonder why food banks are growing leaps and bounds in this town.
And this interesting tidbit;
http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/business-journal/2016/07/29/sd-hourly-wages-rank-among-nations-lowest/87575902/
How many didn’t have enough income to file a return? Illegals who don’t file a return? Living on social security and welfare? Food stamps and rent subsidies? What about the dozen or so living in the back room of Asian or Mexican restaurants?
This data is skewed and much worse. Just an estimate but this is a city of 160k with 100k who pay taxes but a real population more like 250k.
There is one problem with your link lewis. It is also the same problem the South Dakota Department of Labor had had since they changed their job statistics software. They used to show “median” income, or the 50th percentile income. That reflected really bad incomes, so they switched it to “mean” income, or average income. A real life example is in order. For this example, lets pick on the city. It happens most everywhere these days, but, our city does it just as well as anybody. Let’s just say one department at the library has 9 $12 an hour, 28 hour a week employees. Those 9 part time no benefit, 28 hour a week employees make $336 a week apiece, while their supervisor makes $80,000 a year, or $1538 a week. These 10 city employees “average” $456 a week, but, in the real world, the “median” income is still the poverty level $336 a week.
So…when you read “average” income, take it in with a grain of salt.