Do People in New York City Feel Poor?

The New York Times reports:

New Yorkers often have trouble explaining, to themselves and others, why they submit to the extortionate demands of their hometown. When they visit one of those normally priced “quality of life” capitals — say, Portland, whether the one in Maine or in Oregon — they’re moved to wonder why they’re paying as much for their 1,000-square-foot apartment as their friend pays for his 4,000-square-foot house with a backyard big enough for flag football. In fact, slightly less than half of New Yorkers, according to a poll commissioned by the New York Times Magazine, believe that the city is not “worth what it costs.” They wouldn’t actually move, of course; that’s unthinkable. But living here in the center of the universe exacts a terrible tribute, not only in dollars but in anxiety and envy — not so much of our suburban or country cousins as of the lucky few who glide above us on the sweet breezes of wealth.

The struggles of Blue America.