Another day, another pointed reminder that Miami is an economic nightmare for all but the elite.
Interest.com compared the average expenses for residents of the county's major metro areas to the average income to find out how much "savings opportunity" a regular citizen might have at the end of the month. For Miamians, it's just $18 a month (or roughly the price of a mojito on South Beach). That's the second-lowest savings opportunity in the nation.
See also: Miami Rents Are Wildly Unaffordable for Average Residents
The analysis finds that the median after-tax income in the area is just $32,745 a year. The average expenditure, meanwhile, is $32,533. That leaves only $212 a year for the savings account. Figure in a speeding ticket or a lost cell phone and you're pretty much screwed.
The site's analysis, by the way, combines both Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
On average, South Floridians spend about $12,990 a year on housing, $3,798 on transportation, and $6,129 on food.
Interest.com found that the median savings rate in Miami is exactly zero. That means more than half of Miamians are not saving anything each year. In fact, only 16 percent of households contribute to a 401(k) or IRA. The grand irony of living in South Florida, a mecca for retirees, is that locals can't afford to have a nice retirement here.
The only city analyzed that has a worse savings opportunity situation is Phoenix, where residents somehow lose $95 a month, once again proving that Arizona is considerably worse than Florida.
The situation in Miami likely won't get much better anytime soon, as the recent boom of construction in luxury high-rises continues to drive up rents for even the average Miamian. If only city and local business leaders were more concerned with bringing more solid middle-class jobs to the city than they were Zaha Hadid skyscrapers.
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