Blast from the past: California and Iowa 2001 and now

[c1ue]

I was talking with a friend about schools - he was up in arms over the ridiculous performance of California schools vs. Iowa schools.

My controversial assertion was that this was in large part due to teacher unions and teaching practices in CA - allowed because of increasing numbers of 2 income families needed to survive - and in turn because of rising asset prices forcing up costs.

This led to some research on Iowa vs. California incomes vs. home prices which was possibly interesting:

Iowa 2001
Median income: $40,976
Median house price: $112,000
House to income ratio: 2.73

http://www.census.gov/hhes/www//inco.../statemhi.html

http://www.abcrealestatedirectory.co...tates/Iowa.htm

California 2001
Median income: $55,209
Median house price: $262,350
House to income ratio: 4.75

http://www.usc.edu/schools/sppd/lusk...a_mefinc01.pdf

http://www.empirefresno.com/california-median-home-price.htm

Iowa 2006
Median income: $44,491
Median house price: $130,000
House to income ratio: 2.92

http://data.iowadatacenter.org/datat...CS20042006.pdf

California 2006:
Average wage: $66,810
Median house price: $576,000
House to income ratio: 8.62

http://financial-cents.blogspot.com/...ome-price.html

http://www.lao.ca.gov/2006/cal_facts...facts_econ.htm

Hmmm!