NPR has compiled a cool infographic that compares the median income in many American cities, with “what it feels like.” In Washington, D.C., a median income of $44,452 feels like $35,029 (79%). In New York City, $37,064 feels like $28,799 (78%). And, in my adopted hometown of Houston, Texas, $31,265 feels like $29,467 (94%). Similarly, in Dallas, $31,756 feels like $29,818 (94%). (Note Texas has no state income tax). These are among the flattest curves on the chart. This jives with Tyler Cowen’s discussion of Texas, which noted that the leading factor contributing to Texas’s explosive growth has been the low cost of living, and decent job availability.