Story of the Week: The Average Broadway Theatergoer Earns a Household Income of $271,277 a Year

Wow. This is very saddening.

I'm curious about something. The article mentions that the use of income ranges prevents the League from calculating a median income, which is certainly true, but it should also prevent them from calculating an accurate average (mean) income. Just assuming, for instance, that everyone in the $1,000,000+ bin makes the same amount (exactly that much, perhaps?) will result in a very speculative value for the mean as well as the median; I can't see how you do a meaningful calculation of either measure without actual numbers. Maybe someone better versed in statistics - or League methodology - can shed some light on this.

I feel very poor and that I'm around people above my means.

As others have intimated, I think this "average" number is heavily distorted by the inclusion of a small group of very rich people and is a virtually meaningless piece of data. Anyone who works with statistics knows it is very easy to analyze the data and present it in a way that backs up and validates whatever point you are trying to make.

I never understand the kvelling over theater ticket prices or audience make up. There are Ford Fiestas, there are Hondas, there are Teslas, and there are Maseratis. Cars that provide the essentially same functions in different price ranges for different markets. Why don't people understand the same is for theater? Until there is serious government funding for all theater (like the UK -- which also provides health care for all so its not a production cost) great theater seats will be always be a luxury item in US. There's no way around it given the production and theater costs involved, which is pretty well documented. Smart consumers can usually find pretty deep discounts without too much trouble (TKTS, etc..) and cut the price at least by 40 percent, often more. But every time there is an article about audience income or ticket pricing, the pearl clutching begins.

I would say that a theatre goer with that salary would be more likely to pay full price for a ticket. It seems like that number could be calculated in various ways.

Does everyone understand that household income means income from not just one earner but 2 or more? $271K earned by 2 working spouses are average NYC salaries. $100K annual salary is barely enough to survive in NYC, unless you live in rent stabilized apartment or someone else pays your bills, or you have a household of multiple earners. I'm surprised this average household income isn't higher.