???According to this site in 2006 it was $42,000 so about $45k now??
http://www.ofm.wa.gov/trends/tables/fig102.asp
This site says
I take it Manhattan appartments would be CBD, so they would be 35 times average US wage.
Average NY home works out at 19 times average US wage
According to the information provided
Dave
According to NAR and HUD the affordability index is around 7 at the moment. It was 9 in 3rd Q 2007. This is median house price to median income.
Check here
http://www.housingtracker.net/affordability/new-york/new-york
Seems like you're cherry picking stats to make it look ridiculous.