Individual Income Poll

[missdpuck]

I won't mention any names, but I am frequently surprised at how many seemingly young people on this board make really good money. I'm happy for y'all. I guess what really gave it away were the home improvement and real estate threads.

[username]

Originally Posted by missdpuck

I won't mention any names, but I am frequently surprised at how many seemingly young people on this board make really good money. I'm happy for y'all. I guess what really gave it away were the home improvement and real estate threads.

Lot's of people might be piling on debt as opposed to paying for the stuff you mentioned with their own money.

Just a tidbit to help keep things in perspective. How much someone spends doesn't necessarily to coorelate to what they make.

[Rutuu]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Well, my thinking is that the demographics here are an over-weighting to younger folks, with a lot of people who are pre-20s or in their 20s, so starting their careers or in university. I know the typical salary in Calgary is high, but I don't think the people who answered this poll is an accurate picture of the city as a whole, for whatever reason.

If the household median income is $90K, in many cases that's two people.

Nine years ago when I learned about this board I was the above uni student. My friends who turned me on to the site were the above uni students as well, now 9yrs later and a bunch of us continue to read the board (10+) without posting much (more responsibility) and I'd be shocked to find out if any of those buddies didn't earn $100k+.

Calgarypuck is an amazing community with a lot of people with very educated opinions in a variety of areas (Business, sports, investing) and that's what I love about it. Don't fall into the trap and think we're all know-nothing students without life experience.

Just think what this board will be like in another 10yrs.

[Rutuu]

Originally Posted by missdpuck

I won't mention any names, but I am frequently surprised at how many seemingly young people on this board make really good money. I'm happy for y'all. I guess what really gave it away were the home improvement and real estate threads.

I'm convinced that Calgary is the best place in the western world to shop for a husband, lots of good stand up family men with good values and excellent career opportunities.

I don't live in Calgary anymore, but I moved to a larger center with an inflated cost structure and my relative worth compared to the average went significantly upwards. Calgary is a very well off city, so the numbers the poll reflects don't lie.

As an aside working internationally you really see the expertise that exists in Calgary and there is a reason they are well paid, the people here in the Energy business are leaders world wide. I miss it sometimes.

[chemgear]

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/09...ve-in-toronto/

Canada’s one-percenters now earn at least $191,000 per year, before tax, according to newly released data from Statistics Canada’s 2011 National Household Survey.

In that year, entry into Canada’s exclusive top one per cent of earners required making at least $191,100 — an amount seven times greater than the national median income of $29,900.

But the average income among the country’s elite earners is much higher. The top one percent earned an average of $381,000, more than 13 times the average income of Canada’s bottom 90%, who earned just $28,000. That number is also triple the average income of the country’s top 10% of earners ($134,900).

In absolute numbers, Toronto has the most one-per-centers, with more than 73,000, but that accounts for only 1.6 per cent of Toronto’s population. Calgary has the most one-percenters relative to its population: 2.9 per cent of Calgarians are in the top one per cent of income earners.

[surferguy]

Judging by those numbers we can infer that approx 8% of Calgarys population is on CP.

[pylon]

I deal with peoples credit everyday, and you would be surprised at what people in this city earn.

Using rough estimates, I would say that 50-60% of my customers earn $100k + individually. And 80%+ of family incomes exceed $100k. You know what a 25 year old guy on an oil rig crew can earn? it's scary. I have had house framers and dry wallers in front of me earning well into the six figures for cripes sakes.

$100,000 / year is not in the least bit unusual in this city, it is the nature of the oil business. However I am seeing a lot of engineers and designers falling below that point with the influx of cheap labour coming from abroad, willing to do the same jobs for far less.

Once the oil patch goes belly up again, which it will inevitably, this will all drastically change for the worse. But I don't even raise my eyebrows anymore when I see someone in their late 40's early 50's making $20k month, with a paid off home, and a 7 figure investment portfolio. In fact I would almost say that these numbers are light, as a lot of people won't divulge their personal financial status to anyone. And what I always find most interesting about Calgary's wealthy, is 90% of them, you wouldn't even have a clue. They live in a modest home in Brentwood, drive a very average car, and are probably in front of you at Walmart with their Kirkland Jeans a cart full of Great Value products.

[red sky]

Once the oil patch goes belly up again, which it will inevitably, this will all drastically change for the worse. But I don't even raise my eyebrows anymore when I see someone in their late 40's early 50's making $20k month, with a paid off home, and a 7 figure investment portfolio

Yet they need to have a credit check to buy a VW?

[GGG]

The other thing that skews this websites stats is that there are many season ticket holders who frequent here. A flames season ticket holder will be much more likely in the 100k plus earning bracket than the average Canadian.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by fotze

Sometimes if its a 0.9% bonus interest rate on the car you choose to finance since even my crappy investments make greater than that.

Yup. People that are smart with money usually never pay cash for cars. In fact the majority of them lease. As much as all the 'experts' say never lease. Rich people usually do, as they want to put as little money as possible into a depreciating commodity. I believe the first rule of the rich is "Never use your own money".

I will never forget the time I had a guy in here making an OBSCENE amount of money, almost walk out on a deal over an $89 set of floor mats which would have taken him about 15 minutes to earn.

Just because someone has a lot of money, doesn't mean they don't value it.

[_Q_]

I think it would be interesting to do this poll again, but with the $100K+ broken up more.

[GP_Matt]

^^^^^ See how many one percenters we actually have

[Locke]

In my line of work I see income figures for people in all different industries and walks of life. $100k+ in this city is more common than people might think.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by _Q_

I think it would be interesting to do this poll again, but with the $100K+ broken up more.

Maybe incorporate family income as well?

[Muta]

What specific jobs constitute the $100k+ salaries?

[Knut]

Originally Posted by Muta

What specific jobs constitute the $100k+ salaries?

http://www.livingin-canada.com/work-...es-canada.html

Average hourly salary

1. Retail Sales / Sales Clerk $14
2. Data Entry Clerk $16
3. Bookkeeper $18
4. Accounting Clerk $19
5. Truck Driver $21
6. Carpenter $22
7. Executive Assistant $23
8. Plumber $25
9. Electrician $25
10. Social Worker $29
11. Architect $30
12. Registered Nurse $34
13. Physiotherapist $34
14. Computer Engineer (not software) $35
15. Lawyer $40
16. Computer and Info Systems Manager $40
17. Engineering Manager $43
18. Dentist $70

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Muta

What specific jobs constitute the $100k+ salaries?

All Engineers, Lawyers, Accountants, Doctors,

If you include overtime, all trades people working fly in fly out at any of the oilsands facilities.

I'm not sure about the in Calgary/Edmonton trades people but all of the senior people are probably over 100k as well.

Teachers max out right at 100k with max experience and max education.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by GGG

All Engineers, Lawyers, Accountants, Doctors,

If you include overtime, all trades people working fly in fly out at any of the oilsands facilities.

I'm not sure about the in Calgary/Edmonton trades people but all of the senior people are probably over 100k as well.

Teachers max out right at 100k with max experience and max education.

Ah, so mostly all professionals that require long hours at post-secondary facilities with specialized concentrations.

It's amazing how many professionals there are in Calgary, I don't think I've met anyone in the last five years in the city who isn't pulling in what the rest of the world would die to make a fraction of. Or so it seems.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Hesla

http://www.livingin-canada.com/work-...es-canada.html

Average hourly salary

1. Retail Sales / Sales Clerk $14
2. Data Entry Clerk $16
3. Bookkeeper $18
4. Accounting Clerk $19
5. Truck Driver $21
6. Carpenter $22
7. Executive Assistant $23
8. Plumber $25
9. Electrician $25
10. Social Worker $29
11. Architect $30
12. Registered Nurse $34
13. Physiotherapist $34
14. Computer Engineer (not software) $35
15. Lawyer $40
16. Computer and Info Systems Manager $40
17. Engineering Manager $43
18. Dentist $70

That poll is Canada, not Calgary, which throws it way off. Local market conditions, job demand, etc will push it way up. However, you could earn $75k/year, in a little hole in the wall town, and likely have a much better quality of life, than someone making $125k here.

Basically anyone earning $48 +/ hour, is in the 6 figures. For example, there are not a lot of $40/hr lawyers living in this city, if any at all.

[_Q_]

Originally Posted by Locke

Maybe incorporate family income as well?

Yeah, but I think it would get too confusing having it all in one thread. Maybe two threads, one for personal income, one for family income.