What Do You Do and What Do You Make?

"What we discovered, just before a jobs report earlier this month confirmed a dwindling labor market, is that salaries across most industries have not kept up with inflation in a city that has become exorbitantly expensive. For so many professionals we spoke with, some of whom agreed to pose for the paper-bag portraits in this story, the answer to stalling wages and cost-of-living expenses is hanging out their own shingle and juggling freelance projects and social-media collaborations."

"No one's immune to professional anxiety, though. "Am I going to be a 40-year-old influencer posting my outfits?" one TikToker wondered. Finance used to be the stock answer for those musing a career pivot. Now we're all thinking, Should we just go into AI? The only worry on one engineer's mind seemed to be his equity stake shrinking as recruitment ramps up."

"Of course, there are plenty of people, especially at the very top, doing all right on their salary plus bonus and stock options as well as exterminators and dentists and dog walkers making a decent living who won't be replaced by a chatbot anytime soon. Claude can't rid your household of a lice infestation!"

New York's economic landscape has transformed dramatically over two decades. In 2005, income disparities were stark but straightforward. Today, the gig economy and multiple income streams have become commonplace as traditional salaries fail to match inflation in an increasingly expensive city. Professionals across industries—from tech to creative fields—struggle with stagnant wages while facing mounting living costs. Many have turned to freelancing, social media collaborations, and entrepreneurial ventures to supplement income. Career anxiety pervades even successful professionals, with concerns about job security, AI displacement, and long-term viability. However, certain sectors like skilled trades, finance, and specialized services remain relatively insulated from economic pressures and automation threats.

Read at Intelligencer