"Though they would’ve preferred to stay in Hoboken, N.J., the couple knew they would not be able to afford $1,600 a month per child, the going childcare rate in the area, plus the cost of moving to a bigger home. So they packed up and moved to the neighboring town of Union City where daycare rates are around $600-$700 a month."
I'm too lazy to pull out my calculator and crunch this, but just scanning the numbers, my guesstimate is that their gross income is significantly higher than the median household income in the United States ($53,046 according to the Census Bureau).
Like, maybe in the low six-figures. So how do the other 90% do it? I suspect that taxes have a lot to do with their troubles, but still. Lots of people commute to NYC from Pennsylvania. There are reasons for that, not the least of which are taxes and lifestyle. They can have it all, just not in Hoboken, New Jersey. 4 acres in Pennsylvania is affordable. 4 acres in Hoboken is a big part of the city.
low six figs in nj with mortgage and two kids and two cars plus hig state and local taxes, plus sales taxes, that doesn’t go far in nj.