Did you read the article and the methodology? $140k was using the same methodology the government used in 1963, but updated it to today.
Then he did his own separate valuation and got $136k before taxes. For 2 adults 2 kids.
Discussion
The numbers seem very high. If I was a brokie with kids I could come in way under those numbers in every category except maybe health insurance and housing and they total $33k.