Then I realized, it is too easy.

NYC and close commute areas (unless dangerous) are incredibly expensive areas to live in.

And yes, that means $200K is not a lot. Cost of housing and living drops the further away, and I assume people balance their income with where they choose to live (when they make that much), which in turn means they probably live on the edge of what they can afford, at least during the ramp up years.

But I doubt the majority of people that are affected by this are that particular population. Choose your primary metro areas, those that cost more than $200K to live in. Get a population breakdown, and then figure out the portion of the approx $200K people you feel are getting screwed.

Then figure out how many people in the entire population live in an area that $200K is a VERY good living. That would be everyone else who makes that much, since we've just counted the major expensive areas out.

$200K is REAL money for the vast majority of us, those who make it and those who don't.

You want to use outliers for the examples? You really open yourself up for the return barrage, at least from those who feel like doing the research.