What Is Middle Class?

[3894]

To me, middle class means able to buy a modest house and set aside some - maybe $200-400 - money every month for college/retirement/special trip, etc. For here, that would require an income of $45,000-$100,000.

What does middle class mean to you?

According to the U.S. census, income breaks down like this ...

[Ruthie]

Off the top of my head, middle class means a nice house (nothing fancy) and "extras" like cable, internet, money for a family vacation each year on top of all the needed things (grocery, electricity, etc).

I would say eastern WA (where I am) would be about $50,000 - $75,000 a year per family to be "middle class".

[wendybeth]

I'm in Eastern Wa as well, Ruthie, and I agree that is the average middle class income level. Money goes a lot further here than in SoCal, where I would guess it would need to be closer to 100k or so.

[Stan4dSteph]

As a single person, I wonder how I fit into the general definition of middle class etc.

I suppose my view of middle class is someone who can comfortably afford the typical amenities like cable TV, internet and phone, with possibly a cell phone. Can save a small amount every month above any 401K or retirement investments. Has a car.

I tend to view someone who owns more than one residence as not being middle class, but I suppose that can vary based on the area where you live. We never had a lake house or vacation house, but many families I grew up with did.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

I think middle class in LA may be even more than $100 K because my house is a smallish condo and we can't always afford a nice vacation every year. Or maybe, middle class in LA doesn't mean you can own your home.

[Alex]

What's odd is how over recent decades "middle class" has become almost entirely a statement of income when that was only a component of what the term has historically meant (originally it was more a statement of power than necessarily wealth). Just like I always tell Lani that "white trash" is a lifestyle not an economic class, I'd say the same is true of "middle class."

When defined solely by money and possessions I don't think it is a phrase with any remaining descriptive power. As a result I find Obama's harping on "the middle class" to be one of the more inane aspects of his campaign.

As for what it means in various locations:

Los Angeles (LA, Riverside, Orange Counties) if you have a household income above $46,000 then you are making more than half of all Los Angeles households.
San Francisco the same is $63,000.
Phoenix the same is $43,000.
Wisconsin urban areas are around $46,000.

One can debate whether those are "middle class" but if the definition is purely one of income and possessions, it seems to me that if you are doing better than half the people in that regard that you must be at least in that category. But then Lani and I are in the decile of household incomes in the Bay Area (that doesn't imply as much money as most people would probably guess, generally people way overestimate how much money people make here) and by most standards we're simply living a middle class lifestyle (one significant vacation a year, one lower end car, rented 1-bedroom apartment, etc.).

By the historical meaning of the phrase we're very solidly middle class. By the more current income-only definition of the phrase I guess we'd be bumped up a bit. But I've never seen a country club, don't know any glitterati, have never heard of the people on the society page so I'm not getting my money's worth.

[Ruthie]

Originally Posted by wendybeth

I'm in Eastern Wa as well, Ruthie,

Cool! hi neighbor *waving*

Originally Posted by Alex

Just like I always tell Lani that "white trash" is a lifestyle not an economic class, I'd say the same is true of "middle class."

Very true.

Somehow though, I can picture what I think "white trash" is more distinctly then I can "middle class". Referring to "white trash", I think more of attitudes and life styles yet when I think of "middle class" my mind went straight to economics.

[wendybeth]

Hi there yourself, Ruthie!


(What part are you in, and apologies if we've gone over this before).

[Ruthie]

Originally Posted by wendybeth

Hi there yourself, Ruthie!


(What part are you in, and apologies if we've gone over this before).

Well if we have, I am old and need a memory upgrade therefore I don't remember doing it.

I am in the Tri-Cities . . . where are you?

(sorry for the temporary derail)

[ozron]

(Joining the derail...)

GO BOMBERS!