The Friday Intel | 04.10.26: Affluent on Paper, Broke in Practice

Send us Fan MailWestchester County has one of the highest median household incomes in America. And thirty-eight percent of the households inside it can't actually afford to live here. This week on The Friday Intel, we pull apart the Westchester affordability paradox. Why a place this rich quietly prices out a third of its own residents, why infant daycare costs more than a year at SUNY, and why one in four Westchester families earn above the poverty line and still can't afford the basics.In This Episode:(0:00) Cold Open(0:30) Intro and Context(1:30) The Data — Housing, rent, property taxes, and cost burden(4:00) The Surprise — Childcare costs more than college in the same state(5:30) What This Means for You(6:30) CloseSources: American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-24 and 2018-22 five-year estimates), Ownwell (March 2025 property tax analysis), The Children's Agenda (2025 childcare report), United Way of Westchester and Putnam (2024 ALICE report), Westchester Index.Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or share with a neighbor.Support the showI Live Here Westchester is a production of I Live Here Media.We spotlight the voices, visionaries, and stories that make Westchester County more than just a place to live—it’s a place to belong.Have a guest suggestion or want to partner with us?Email: [email protected]: www.iliveheremedia.comFollow us on Instagram: @iliveheremediaSubscribe, rate, and share to support local storytelling.