Sure you can but why should you settle for it? Who decided that it’s ok?
Settle for making 6 figures in a nice apartment in a nice part of town with plenty of extra spending money? Woe is me.
What kind of a place can you buy in, say, Mountain View while making 160k?
I only know the rental market. Definitely one bedroom places to rent at 3-4k/mo which easily fits into that salary.
If you cannot afford to own even a modest 2br apartment you’re definitely poor. Middle class starts where you can afford an average house.
You could also afford a 2 bedroom on that salary. But you aren't in "poverty" if you can't afford an extra room. You would have lots of extra money to save or eat out in this scenario.