Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
By Annie Jonas
Boston consistently ranks among the most expensive cities in the country – and it’s only getting harder to make ends meet. Rent for a one-bedroom in the North End will cost you $2,700 a month. Groceries, transportation, child care, and health insurance costs are climbing, too. Even with higher-than-average wages, many workers in Greater Boston say they’re stretched thin.
According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary in Boston is about $81,050 a year, or $38.97 an hour — well above the national average of $62,088 per year. But in a city where a “living wage” for a single adult with no children is estimated at over $60,000 annually, and much higher for families, many are still left wondering: Is it enough?
Greater Boston’s economy is powered by workers across a wide spectrum of industries, from hospital aides to software engineers, from early childhood educators to financial analysts. A large share of the local workforce is concentrated in education and health services, finance and business, and hospitality – sectors that include both high earners and low-wage workers.
We want to hear from you – from all of you.
Whether you’re a barista in Brighton, a biotech researcher in Kendall Square, or a teacher in Dorchester, how does your paycheck stack up against your expenses? What do you do for work, how much do you make — and how do you make it work?
We’re looking to better understand the people behind Greater Boston’s workforce. Not just your salary, but your life. How far does your money go? What trade-offs are you making to live or work here? What would need to change for Boston to feel sustainable?
Your story will help us paint a fuller picture of what it really means to earn — and spend — in one of America’s priciest cities.
If you’d like to participate, you can fill out the form below or e-mail us at [email protected]. We may use your contact information to follow up with you.
Annie Jonas is a Community writer at Boston.com. She was previously a local editor at Patch and a freelancer at the Financial Times.
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Stay up to date with everything Boston. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com