What IS middle-class?

[HannahP 119]

What does middle-class mean to you?

Just curious. What descriptors would you use to describe a middle-class family? Income? Amenities? Gubberment help?

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

We pay the bills!

[spookyturtle 9,466]

We pay the bills!

You mean Obama pays your bills.

[HannahP 119]

We pay the bills!

You mean Obama pays your bills.

Not if you're really middle class, sadly.

[britty 1]

I am with the notion that if you work, regardless of what you earn, you are working class. Middle class a much more widely used term in the US than anywhere else I have been. Most of the people I know who earn a decent living, own a house, drive a nice car etc would classify themselves as middle class here.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

We pay the bills!

You mean Obama pays your bills.

OMG, your knees must be sore!

[spookyturtle 9,466]

We pay the bills!

You mean Obama pays your bills.

OMG, your knees must be sore!

Will you lend me your knee pads?

[HannahP 119]

I am with the notion that if you work, regardless of what you earn, you are working class. Middle class a much more widely used term in the US than anywhere else I have been. Most of the people I know who earn a decent living, own a house, drive a nice car etc would classify themselves as middle class here.

I guess this is what I find interesting.

I was "raised" middle-class but my dad made around $400,000 a year.

My husband makes around $40,000 before taxes and I do think that we are middle class.

That is: enough to struggle (no debt but no savings) but not enough to qualify for government assistance.

[thepizzadude 26]

I was "raised" middle-class but my dad made around $400,000 a year.

I doubt you were raised "middle class", really... and by todays standard $40,000 IMHO is just scratching the bottom of middle class.

Edited October 10, 2009 by thepizzadude

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

I am with the notion that if you work, regardless of what you earn, you are working class. Middle class a much more widely used term in the US than anywhere else I have been. Most of the people I know who earn a decent living, own a house, drive a nice car etc would classify themselves as middle class here.

I guess this is what I find interesting.

I was "raised" middle-class but my dad made around $400,000 a year.

My husband makes around $40,000 before taxes and I do think that we are middle class.

That is: enough to struggle (no debt but no savings) but not enough to qualify for government assistance.

you're not middle class.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,669, and the median income for a family was $51,545.

link

[Niels Bohr 72]

Middle-Class -> Hourly Workers

400,000/year....Last time I saw that number was from a professor.

Edited October 10, 2009 by Niels Bohr

[HannahP 119]

I was "raised" middle-class but my dad made around $400,000 a year.

I doubt you were raised "middle class", really... and by todays standard $40,000 IMHO is just scratching the bottom of middle class.

I apologize. I was raised to believe that I was middle class, as a child. (My father is a doctor btw.)

Which is why I find my actual "middle class" status to be..interesting.

[HannahP 119]

I am with the notion that if you work, regardless of what you earn, you are working class. Middle class a much more widely used term in the US than anywhere else I have been. Most of the people I know who earn a decent living, own a house, drive a nice car etc would classify themselves as middle class here.

I guess this is what I find interesting.

I was "raised" middle-class but my dad made around $400,000 a year.

My husband makes around $40,000 before taxes and I do think that we are middle class.

That is: enough to struggle (no debt but no savings) but not enough to qualify for government assistance.

you're not middle class.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,669, and the median income for a family was $51,545.

link

So...what am I? I think that after taxes, we make around the median income. Of course we're in Merriam now, not Lawrence.

[ScottThuy 140]

Middle-Class -> Hourly Workers

400,000/year....Last time I saw that number was from a professor.

At what University? They must be doing a great deal of research and publishing to make that $

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

I am with the notion that if you work, regardless of what you earn, you are working class. Middle class a much more widely used term in the US than anywhere else I have been. Most of the people I know who earn a decent living, own a house, drive a nice car etc would classify themselves as middle class here.

I guess this is what I find interesting.

I was "raised" middle-class but my dad made around $400,000 a year.

My husband makes around $40,000 before taxes and I do think that we are middle class.

That is: enough to struggle (no debt but no savings) but not enough to qualify for government assistance.

you're not middle class.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,669, and the median income for a family was $51,545.

link

So...what am I? I think that after taxes, we make around the median income. Of course we're in Merriam now, not Lawrence.

even worse if in merriam

The median income for a household in the city was $48,455, and the median income for a family was $54,639.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merriam,_Kansas