On: Rooftop solar is now cheaper than the grid in 42 A...

[sien]

The US has better housing affordability than pretty much any other developed country:

http://www.numbeo.com/property-investment/rankings.jsp

[grecy → sien]

I'm really not sure you can call the cities at the top of that index "developed". i.e. Detroit.

Those cities have stats that make people from actual developed countries gasp in horror.

[maxerickson → grecy]

To be fair, that's mostly because people on average don't understand statistics.

[sien → grecy]

Fair point.

However, places like Sacramento, Denver, Houston, Austin and other large cities with quite a lot of jobs have great housing affordability compared to most places.

Find the first Australian city....

[grecy → sien]

It gets even more fascinating when you dig deeper.

In Australia, your income covers your healthcare, education, etc. etc.

In that states, you have to pay for that yourself.. so if you take that off "income", you have a good chunk less to spend on a mortgage.

(I'm not saying houses in Australia are anything close to affordable, I'm saying it's much more complex and nuanced than "income vs. mortgage")

[refurb → grecy]

In Australia, your income covers your healthcare, education, etc. etc.

You mean the income tax (taken out of your income) pays for healthcare, education, etc, etc?

[lotsofmangos → sighsigh_3]

Given you are pretentious enough to use words like pleb, you may also have the wit to be aware that none of that in any way supports your initial claim.

[sighsigh_3 → lotsofmangos]

Given that you are so offended by being called a pleb, I'm sure you won't mind putting solar panels on your new affordable home in less crime ridden areas like Somalia or Sing Sing. Solidarity with the poor for all!