'Quality of life is plummeting': Readers share their economic concerns

"Of the 854 Massachusetts residents MassINC polled, 42% reported being worse off financially than one year ago, the organization said in a news release. Over half of respondents said housing is unaffordable, according to the poll. Many residents also cite healthcare, higher education, child care, and taxes as some of their biggest economic concerns."

"Only 27% expect their finances to improve in the coming year. Respondents estimated that being middle class would require a household income of between $97,000 and $112,000 just to be maintained. Massachusetts has the highest threshold to break out of the middle class in the country, according to a recent study by financial technology company SmartAsset."

"A household in Massachusetts needed income between $69,885 and $209,656 to be considered middle class, the study found. When we asked Boston.com readers for their biggest financial challenges, we heard from 70 respondents. Among the chief complaints were taxes that overwhelm budgets, housing that has become increasingly unaffordable, and healthcare costs that have skyrocketed."

""Wages aren't keeping up with tax increases. Property tax is unrealistic and not affordable. Cities and towns need to figure out how to properly manage money." - Rich, Haverhill "Property taxes are out of control. I bought a house in 2014 and the tax on it is nearly triple, approaching 2K a month to live in 'my' house." - A"

A MassINC poll of 854 Massachusetts residents found 42% are worse off financially than one year ago. Over half of respondents said housing is unaffordable, and many also cited healthcare, higher education, child care, and taxes as major economic concerns. Only 27% expect finances to improve in the coming year. Respondents estimated that maintaining middle-class status requires household income between $97,000 and $112,000. A SmartAsset study found Massachusetts has the highest income threshold to break out of the middle class, with middle-class income ranging from $69,885 to $209,656. Boston.com readers echoed these concerns, naming taxes, unaffordable housing, and rising healthcare costs. One reader said quality of life is plummeting.

Read at Boston.com