I think the key term here is "get by." They're showing roughly $65k per year for my state. You certainly won't starve, but you will never have enough to buy a house, spend money on hobbies, raise a family, take a vacation, etc. That's not just in urban areas, that's everywhere.
Cost of living compared to average income is far too high everywhere in the US. I feel like this article downplays exactly how bad it really is. Life should be more than just getting by.