I agree on the geolocation in the bay area being a huge factor. I grew up in the South Bay(wife grew up on the Pennisula) and where you lived made a huge differ

I agree on the geolocation in the bay area being a huge factor. I grew up in the South Bay(wife grew up on the Pennisula) and where you lived made a huge difference. A person who owns a small construction business or was a mid manager in the south bay(San Jose, Santa Clara..) could be at the top of the spectrum so to speak in this article(their kids go to USC, Stanford etc,) and the same person on the pennisula would be solidly middle class(kids have to attend state school or mid-tier) due to funds). I knew friends parents who both had advanced science degrees and lived in the Pennisula(Mtn View, Palo Alto) and were forever renters due to cost of living and this was late 90's early 2000's.