Salinas, California, has been identified as the least affordable city in the US for the middle class, according to a recent analysis by the Brookings Institution. The study defines the middle class as the middle 60% of income earners.
The analysis revealed that nearly 60% of middle-class households in the Salinas area, which includes those earning between $38,000 and $193,000, cannot afford basic necessities. This figure is double the national average. For the Latino middle class in Salinas, who constitute 40% of all middle-class households, three-quarters face difficulties affording daily life.
Residents report that homeownership, a key aspect of the American dream, is largely unattainable. This issue is widespread across the US, with half of all renter households and approximately a quarter of homeowner households spending more than 30% of their income on housing, according to the latest US census data.
Andre Perry, a senior fellow at Brookings who oversaw the study, noted that many towns like Salinas, once considered havens for the middle class, are now out of reach. He stated that people seeking reprieve from high-priced cities like San Francisco are finding it more difficult to live in Salinas.