Nationally, he ranks just above the median income, but here two-thirds of the households are doing better, and Zavala, a degreed mechanical engineer, can't afford his own place. He shares a San Jose apartment with two others. For others, including those in the heart of high tech, even good pay doesn't buy peace of mind. I found out it allows you to go to the grocery store. There are definite fruits of prosperity.
More jobs draw many to the region.
Silicon Valley also reaps higher pay. But as ironic as it may seem, there's a price to the prosperity. The boom is pushing up costs and fueling anxieties. It's creating a treadmill existence for many, with more families here having two workers than the nation overall. And it's raising concerns that the valley is becoming a place where only the top tier can live comfortably.