median income

[arethinn]

There was a bit of article the other day in the Mercury News about how overall, despite people migrating away and loss of jobs and all, Silicon Valley is still wealthy on average (like duh), measured by median household income. In part, it read:

"San Jose still tops the charts on household income, the basic benchmark by which we measure ourselves against other regions. Although median income in the 'capital' of Silicon Valley dropped $6,556 from 2000 through 2003, it still topped $70,000, randing it No. 1 in the nation [!], according to the Census Bureau. That's nearly $11,000 more than second-place Anchorage, Alaska, $12,000 more than third-ranked San Francisco, and $27,000 more than the national average."

I'd be willing to bet that 4, 5 and 6 are other places in California, too, although I haven't looked up the information. So what I want to know is, what's with Anchorage that it's in the #2 spot? Why is it so wealthy, that it turns up in the middle of the California-held ranks?

Comments

[tyrsalvia.livejournal.com]

Well for one thing, every resident of Alaska gets money from the government because of oil drilling, so that ups everyone's income. Also, fishing is a *huge* deal there, and there are probably a lot of people who both make a lot of money and maybe own companies related to that industry there. Lastly, it's expensive to be in Alaska. You have to get virtually all your food imported. Like the bay area, it's unlikely to mean that everyone is rich so much as that everything is expensive.

[baxil.livejournal.com]

The oil dividends are only about $1,000 to 2,000 per year. Can't speak to the rest, although I've never really thought of the fishing industry as one that pays well.