Comment: there was an article on this on giavellireport

Basically as a 100k a year californian (lower middle class unable to afford 700k housing) it breaks down like this

Fed Tax: 30%
State Tax: 10%
SS: 12.5%
Unemployment/disability: 2%
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57.5% = you keep 52.5 % or $52,500

Add to that inflation of 10% a year. So basically in the past decade prices have doubled. 2 dollar gas to 4 dollar gas. 50 cent candy bars to 1 dollar candy bars. So this rate of inflation takes half of your pay.

25,000

Ok now lets deduct the property taxes which pay for all your vehicles

25,000 - 5,000 = 20,000

OK now lets deduct mandatory insurance: property and auto

20,000 - 2000 = 18,000

Let's assume you spend 100 a month on gas. deduct 30 bucks for gas taxes. Thats 360 a year

$17,640

So without even getting into expenses related to living, you receive only 17k out of the 100k you originally earn.