What is "Middle Class"?
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
April 10, 2008 9:41am CST
"Some 53% of adults in America say they are middle class. On key measures of well-being -- income, wealth, health, optimism about the future -- they tend to fall between those who identify with classes above and below them. But within this self-defined middle class, there are notable economic and demographic differences. For example, four-in-ten Americans with incomes below $20,000 say they are middle class, as do a third of those with incomes above $150,000. And about the same percentages of blacks (50%), Hispanics (54%) and whites (53%) self-identify as middle class, even though members of minority groups who say they are middle class have far less income and wealth than do whites who say they are middle class."
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/793/inside-the-middle-class
According to a Pew Research study, over 50% of Americans consider themselves "middle class". But no one seems to agree on what "middle class" is.
I've always thought of middle class in 3 divisions, lower middle, middle and upper middle class. I've put lower middle class a household income of around $30k-50k, middle class at $50k-150k, and upper middle from $150k-250k.
The lifestyle of friends and family within each division is how I come up with the ranges. The ones who make $50k-150k seem to live about the same... they have the same size houses, drive the same kinds of cars... etc. My friends and family who make over $250k have bigger houses and drive higher end vehicles, so I consider that the line.
Apparently Pew Research findings disagree with me. It seems that for a little over half of us, "middle class" is defined by what they make. Those who make significantly less than they are "poor" while those who make significantly more than they are "rich".
So what does this say about the "disappearing middle class" myth, or Edwards' "two Americas". Apparently those "two Americas" are separated by the income of the observer, not some hard and fast income level.
What do you consider "poor", "middle class" and "rich"? Do your definitions go along with the Pew research findings? Or are you more like me and separate it by the lifestyles lived by people you know in each income level?
4 people like this
7 responses
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
11 Apr 08
I want to say an annual income level of $30K to $75K and you live in a neighborhood where people are still trying to make it and still have not actually made it yet.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
15 Apr 08
I guess that depends on what you consider "made it". I considered myself "made it" when I was doing disaster recovery missions, in the U.S. Army or even when I was a paramedic. I made between $17k and $40k at the time.
To me "made it" is when you are where you want to be.
@taiguy (478)
• United States
11 Apr 08
I believe they define "middle class" as simply believing your middle class. There is no real number cruncher that explain's it in my understanding. Montana earnings are pretty poor per average; so unless your making less than 18k a year you typically consider yourself middle class. Go to New York city and try to buy an apartment for less than $1500 a month and you've got a steal.
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
11 Apr 08
I am a member of the middle class, I guess, but really what does it matter. Why do people get so worked up when they hear that middle America is disappearing? Why does the middle class alway what make America go? I judge that I am middle class because really all of my neighbors think they are middle class. I really could not care if someone tried to say that I was poor, or rich what would be the difference. Terms do not matter. I know people that make more money than either me or my husbands, but have less money. No one thinks about saving, just income.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
14 Apr 08
That's the thing, contrary to the propaganda, the middle class DOESN'T make America go. What makes America go is everyone doing their job. Whether it's manual labor, blue collar work, mid management or executives, if one isn't working, it doesn't matter if the others are or not.
1 person likes this
@cynddvs (2948)
• United States
10 Apr 08
Income is just one factor in determining class. Making $50k a year where I live is considered a pretty descent living. While making $50k in a place like New York City wouldn't really be considered a whole lot. You really have to factor in the cost of living in contrast with you much you make. Where I live $20k - $35k would be considered lower middle class, $40k-75k would be considered middle class, and 80k-100k would be considered upper middle class. But that's just based on what the average pay is and our cost of living her. For example, you can buy a pretty nice 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house in a nice neighborhood here for around $100k-$150k. So that is pretty cheap compared to some larger cities making the class system where I live different from larger or smaller cities.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
10 Apr 08
True, cost of living and area play into it a lot. It's still interesting that, while people throw the words around a lot, what the words mean is so supjective, they are almost meaningless.
@olivebranch56 (910)
• United States
10 Apr 08
I really don't believe you can decide who is middle or upper class anymore based on how people live. So many people now live on credit cards, above their means, and can't keep their bills paid. My family has an income in the 50"s, I have no credit cards, a high rate mortage, and between the rising cost of gas, food, water (I am in the area where we are having a drought, and they are socking it to us on water rates, and everything else, I now consider myself lower class. My son and his family probably make twice as much as we do, but they are in a situation where they use credit cards, have 2 care payments, etc.etc. Plus they have the rising gas water and all the things I do, so to me they are lower class income also cause every penny they have is tied up. You can say well that is their fault, but then what do you say about people in my situation, is it my fault, everything is going up. I have started saying what the HE**, I can't win for losing, so whatever is gonna happen happens. I have never before in my life been so pessimistic, and then again, I have to think, what are the poor people who have even less income than me doing?
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
14 Apr 08
Some are making due with what they have, others are whining that the government isn't giving them more.
Part of the lifestyle of the economic classes is state of mind. Most "rich" people have been dirt poor and a lot of dirt poor people have been rich. The truly rich and the truly poor are separated by desire. The "rich" person who loses it all and becomes poor will probably be rich again before long. The truly poor person who suddenly becomes rich will probably be poor again.
Personally, I think most peope end up where they truly wan to be. Not because they don't want things to be different, but because they don't make things different.
@Perry123 (363)
•
15 Apr 08
It is diffrent in the UK as class is defined by culture not income.
Th middle class are the ones who have powr but thy are th narrow minded petit bourgeois.
though I have a good career my culture is still working class; and my best friends upper or working class. Middle class people are the ones who are so up themslves they think they can tell the rest of us what to do.
Here is an example.
Percentage of working class adults smoking 49%
Percentage of upper class people smoking 48%
Percentage of middle class people smoking 11%
In a recent gambling survey the figures were even greater...working and upper class people 80% regular gamblers and only 6% of middle class people said they gambled.
Screw the middle class they are no fun; they are lily livered and think their morality is better than the rest of us.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
15 Apr 08
Sounds like they aren't the only one with a superiority complex.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
15 Apr 08
No, you just look down your nose at those who you think do.
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
10 Apr 08
I found out that I was in the Very Wealthy class a few years ago. I was shocked as was my daughter when she found out how much I made. It cam about when President Clinton was proposing help for middle income families with children in college. His plan excluded the very wealthy - those making combined income over $60,000. At the time my wife and I were both working full time and reported income of $95,000. It was reinforce when there was talk of taxing the wealthy to make them pay their fair share. At that point the very wealthy started at $75,000. If you look at the IRS data the top 20% of income earners pay 80% of the taxes, $75,000 and up are the top 20 percent.
With the housing problems they are showing poor people losing their houses. One family was listed as a struggling middle class family with a combined income of $150,000, 2 SUV's one an older 2007 and the newer one a 2008. They lived in a $1.75 million house and were considered struggling middle class.
Middle class is what you want it to be just as poverty is what ever income the government want to set it at.
@cynddvs (2948)
• United States
10 Apr 08
You make a very good point about the family that makes $150,000 and are considered middle class. I firmly believe you are what you make yourself. People like that just go out and blow money like it's nothing and then wonder why they don't have enough money. My mom is a perfect example of this. She makes close to $60k. But she just bought her first house last year for $190k (which isn't bad for Florida) and just always has a brand new car. It is just her and my 14 year old sister living on one income. Oh and she has 3 dogs, 3 cats and a bird she is paying to feed and take care of (food and vet bills add up very fast). She just spends way too much money on stuff she really doesn't need and wonders why she is always broke.
My husband and I have seen our parents struggle with money so we are being very, very careful with our money right now. We both drive older cars, 1996. And will continue to drive those cars until they start breaking down and the maintenance gets to be too much. We are renting a very affordable house right now (which we got lucky to find at this price). We are going to stay right where we are until we have a big enough down payment for house so that our mortgage is affordable to us.
Ok I know this went off topic but it just goes to show that even people who make a lot of money can fall into lower classes because of their lifestyles. It just irritate me to hear of people who make so much money but they are still broke because they spend it all on useless crap. Ok off my soapbox now. : -)
