Statistically, the two families were almost exactly alike. Norm and Ann Gordon and Scott and Sarah Carson lived in the same small Midwestern community, and each was raising a couple kids, all of whom were involved in lots of school activities and hoped to go to college. Both families lived in medium-sized houses whose value was right around average for the community. With both husband and wife working, each family’s income was just about average. Other than mortgages and house payments, they didn’t have a whole lot of debt, and both families had pretty good health insurance. They lived comfortably, but not extravagantly.

Statistically, the two families were almost exactly alike. Norm and Ann Gordon and Scott and Sarah Carson lived in the same small Midwestern community, and each was raising a couple kids, all of whom were involved in lots of school activities and hoped to go to college. Both families lived in medium-sized houses whose value was right around average for the community. With both husband and wife working, each family’s income was just about average. Other than mortgages and house payments, they didn’t have a whole lot of debt, and both families had pretty good health insurance. They lived comfortably, but not extravagantly.