Reply #27: My statistical side just gave me a kick. Averages will fool you here, [View All]

[Snow]

because there's some really expensive houses that raise the average. My area, Altadena, is a middle-class to working poor area - but there's an area on the east side of Altadena with some major mansions. One was used in an old TV show, 90210, as being a posh Beverly Hills mansion. The values of those averaged in with the rest of Altadena make it seem a lot more expensive than it really is. It's like how the US has the highest average standard of living - because we use 'average', instead of say, median (50th percentile) - the ridiculously rich pull the average up above, say Sweden. Drop out the top 1% & Sweden looks considerably better than the US, as do a number of other places.