Top 8 Cities Where Pay Goes Furthest (USA)

[Economy ★★]

(P1) If you want to make your paycheck go further in the USA, it may be better to live in a midsize city rather than a large one. This can also be true if the jobs you could get in a major metropolis pay more. That’s the finding of Glassdoor. They compared the average base salary to the average home value. Sometimes home prices are higher in bigger cities.

(P2) Glassdoor used this data to figure out the top 25 cities. Here are the top eight:

1. Detroit, Michigan – 50% (cost-of-living ratio); $61,500 (average base salary); $123,100 (average home value)
2. Memphis, Tennesse – 46%; $52,000; $112,100
3. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania –  45%; $56,896; $126,700
4. Cleveland, Ohio – 44%; $55,000; $125,500
5. Indianapolis, Indiana –  43%; $56,000; $130,200
6. Louis, Missouri –  40%; $56,896; $141,900
7. Cincinnati, Ohio; 40%; $57,179; $143,400
8. Birmingham, Alabama – 40%; $50,800; $128,000

(P3) Check out other cities in the Glassdoor ranking. (If you choose to live in a big city instead, here are some top picks.)

WORDS: 164

SOURCE: http://www.newser.com/story/comments/231093/top-8-cities-where-pay-goes-furthest.html

VOCABULARY: paycheck, midsize, metropolis, compared, figure

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

If you found the passage difficult to read or had problems understanding specific words or idiomatic expressions, please discuss them with your tutor. The following discussion questions should be answered in your own words and with your own arguments.

1. Briefly, summarize the content of the article in your own words.
2. Would you like to visit any of these cities? Why or why not?
3. Is it cheaper to live in a big or midsize city in your country? Why?
4. Are the home values in your country high or low?

READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:

1. Your money will go further if you live in a large metropolis. (T or F)
2. Who did the study?
3. Which city tops the list?
4. Who came in the number three spot?
5. What’s the average base salary in Birmingham, Alabama?

EXPRESSIONS or PHRASES:

What do the following expressions or phrases mean?

• go further (P1)
• base salary (P1)
• home value (P1)
• check out (P3)

Image source: by enchantedlearning.com https://angeronmymind.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/us-cities1.gif?w=480&h=336