[SteveFromNY]

In the link below The Villages Daily Sun states that the AVERAGE income in TV is around $85K a year (Thanks DickY). With the recent post about minimum income, and people wondering if $4,000K per month would work, others saying they get by on $1500/month, the idea that the AVERAGE income is $85K seems utterly ridiculous. I can see it may be higher than the averages if working people who own but don't live there are factored in, and I could see TV running a little higher than FL overall as a result (but even then, plenty of places in FL are much more expensive than TV to live). But the number of $85K just seems ridiculous.

Where do you think the statistic came from? Do you think it's valid, or just something to draw advertising in and drive up rates? Do you think that many of TV'ers work? It's a mind boggling concept that TV, a mostly retirement community, would be more than 3x the national or state average incomes, where all the working people are included in the average too.


http://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/s..._Rate_Card.pdf

[LG]

Originally Posted by SteveFromNY

In the link below The Villages Daily Sun states that the AVERAGE income in TV is around $85K a year (Thanks DickY). With the recent post about minimum income, and people wondering if $4,000K per month would work, others saying they get by on $1500/month, the idea that the AVERAGE income is $85K seems utterly ridiculous. I can see it may be higher than the averages if working people who own but don't live there are factored in, and I could see TV running a little higher than FL overall as a result (but even then, plenty of places in FL are much more expensive than TV to live). But the number of $85K just seems ridiculous.

Where do you think the statistic came from? Do you think it's valid, or just something to draw advertising in and drive up rates? Do you think that many of TV'ers work? It's a mind boggling concept that TV, a mostly retirement community, would be more than 3x the national or state average incomes, where all the working people are included in the average too.


http://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/s..._Rate_Card.pdf

http://www.thevillagescommercialprop...avg_income.htm

[MMC24]

Seems high as an average but you know what they say, "figures don't lie but lier's can figure" ???

[samhass]

Yep, I think they're kidding. I have no idea where they pull those numbers from...some anatomical place????
Where does TV obtain the data about our incomes? If 50% finance their homes, do they extrapolate the numbers on the loan apps?

[DickY]

If you have a 2 income family (it says household income) and a lot of snowbirds still working that might skew the figures upward. ??? :dontknow:

[JUREK]

my 2 cents
still working up north $85K low
when ritired in TV $85K high
:dontknow: :dontknow:

[Frangyomory]

That's a dream that Mr Morse had one night!!!!! The numbers will never be accurate unless you do it by groups; fully retired full timers; fully retired snow birds; working couples full timers; working couples snow birds; and so forth. You can't just take an average of all incomes reported on closing paperwork and call it the "average income for all residents in the Villages" because it just isn't true.

We have a nice two bedroom courtyard villa and are both fully retired. Have no other homes and live here full time and believe me, we don't take in $85k a year before taxes!!! Maybe some folks who live in Bridgeport and the $1.5million places do, but we are two people who worked hard all our lives and were glad to be able to retire with pensions. I can't help but think we are a typical couple here in the Villages.

If there were so much money down here they wouldn't be giving away $25k in furniture just to convince you to buy a home.

[jjdees]

The category in question is home buyers. How many homes are not occupied full time by the owners? The homes bought by snowbirds or occasional visitors, i.e. TV wannabees but not yet retired will inflate the earnings number. Lyle, your chart shows a comparison between 2 different categories, households and buyers.

[Kitria]

umm we know that the average is scewed..to say the least.

Did you ever think that it is ADVERTISING? Who are they trying to attract for the newer and not yet built homes? They are certainly not advertising for preowned home buyers.

But, there is something for everyone here, which is so nice. They even have things to bitch about if you are so inclined. *smiles*

[Happy Villager]

My thoughts are the average figure of $85,000 is comprised of all owners of homes in TV, retirees, workers, snowbirds etc. I also think this figure is used to attract potential commercial enterprise and not so much to convince others to buy homes here. I know there is a big push to bring in development in the Buffalo Ridge Plaza by Crossman & Co.. I also think it is a wise move for any commercial developer to come here.

[villages07]

The other nuance to recognize is that they label the Villages column on the graph as "The Villages Average Home Buyer" and don't define what that means....could be the people who have bought new homes in the past year, past 6 months, etc....all kinds of ways to spin the figures.

I agree with some prior posters that this is just a carrot to attract future commercial development. But, that's business.

[JohnN]

Maybe Arnold Palmer and Nancy Lozez are in the averages LOLOL,
I'll do my part to keep that average low.

[garsha]

We bought our house in the villages last year. We are still in CA both working waiting for our house in CA to sell. I think the way the rate card is worded, this would include us in the average household. It sounds like we are not the only ones that own TV houses that still haven't retired yet. With both of us working it would pull the average up. This really distorts what we are all looking for which is: how much does it take to live in TV. I think the 3-4 thousand a month depending on your mortgage and car payments is right in the ball park.

From the Rate Card:
85,800 Average household income (in dollars) for home buyers in The Villages

[SteveFromNY]

Good point made above about it being the Home buyer's average. That certainly narrows the field! So if it's including folks still working who are buying homes in TV before retiring then I can buy it. It implied to me when I first read it that it was the average for folks living there.

[chuckinca]

Ditto what Gersha said, $85K family income is near the poverty line in CA Bay Area. We bought in 05 for retirement next year.