Quote Originally Posted by Carmen View Post
I realized that this town had a depressed economy when I rode there for the first time last summer, but I just discovered some facts on line about this town that surprised me.

Census taken in 2009:

Population: 1202 (8% decline since 2000)

Median age: 39.5

Median household Income: $20,277

Per capita Income: $13,041

Median value of detached family home $43,639


The low income and real estate value really shocked me.

To put it into perspective, two family members each earning minimum wage in Ontario would make $41,600 ($20,800 each).

Renovo has got to be one of the poorest towns in the U.S.
An average can be skewed by a couple of high earners. The median is where half make more and half make less. Sometimes there is a massive difference between the two. Nine peons and one Bill Gates gives an average income of a few billion. The median would be around the minimum wage, a more reasonable number.
Ignoring taxes a minimum wage worker earns enough in three years to pay for a house. In Ontario the minimum would bring in about $65K. Not so good.
I've wondered what it would be like to retire down there for economic reasons but I don't think I could handle the culture on a long term basis. I favour eastern Ohio anyway.