Happiness Poverty Line: 60K/yr and up

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Daniel Kahnemann, father of behavioral economics says that, below it, you have a greater chance of being miserable.

This is based on a survey of 600,000 Americans:

“Below 60,000 dollars a year, people are unhappy, and they get progressively unhappier the poorer they get. Above that, we get an absolutely flat line. I mean I’ve rarely seen lines so flat.”

“Clearly… money does not buy you experiential happiness, but lack of money certainly buys you misery,” he said. But the real trick, Kahneman said, is to spend time with people you like.

via Happiness Is Earning $60,000 A Year? » My Money Blog.

Now, i haven’t watched the video yet, but I would assume its 60K for every working adult in the household, not per household. I also wonder if this 60K number is adjusted for cost of living (I just was in NYC this past weekend and there, 60K ain’t jack, but in my hometown of Harrisburg its pretty damn good).