Cheapest home in Greenwich is $505k... http://homes.realtor.com/search/lis...1&sby=2&lid=1065806153&lsn=1&srcnt=697#Detail Similar priced homes in Alpharetta, GA (about 30 miles north of Atlanta)... http://homes.realtor.com/search/lis...2&pg=3&lid=1085536626&lsn=28&srcnt=189#Detail http://homes.realtor.com/search/lis...2&pg=4&lid=1085432484&lsn=40&srcnt=189#Detail If you want more bang for your buck, you need to move out of the tri-state area.
Having read thru this thread, I want to say to the OP to just live a bit. Christ, you're 21, just out of college. Enjoy it for a while. If you intend on staying in this industry for 20+ years or so, the money will be there. Have some fun. Then you will be better focused at your job and become better over all. And with it comes money. And to put things in perspective, my first real job out of college was with Merrill, as a clerk making 15600/yr. I made it a point to enjoy myself on that money, so I know you can too. After all, it is not 4x more expensive to live now than what it was 21 years ago.
Well, the reason why I made a lot of the decisions I did (get my own place, new car, etc.), is because I have zero debt. I don't owe anything on student loans, and I bought the car with cash. Plus, who wants to deal w/ having a roommate AFTER college? If you got a real job, you should have your own place.