After reading another thread on the disboards, I am curious as to what income range is now considered middle-class Americans. Does anyone know where to find the answer to that question?
I always considered the family I grew up in middle class. Stay at home mom, Dad who worked (sometimes 2 jobs) 1 car, single family home with 3 bedrooms and 4 kids, fenced back yard, vacations consisted of camping in a trailer. Parents aren't saving for retirement because they foolishly believe Social Security and their life long job will have retirement income. With todays standards and inflation is that still middle class? Or would it look something like this...
Both parents work, both own cars, 1 bedroom for each child, single family home, get away vacations every other year, investments for retirement and childs college funds.
As a kid I remember if you went to "private" school you were upper class,Or if your family owned a boat, you ate out more than once a month (and by out I mean the one McDonalds in the county. If you went to public school you were middle class. And although I hate to admit it, I do NOT intend to offend anyone, this is my thought process as a CHILD, anyone who lived in an apartment I considered lower middle class, and if you took advantage of free school lunch or lived in an apartment complex, I had you tagged as low income. (again the thought process of a child) Of course, that was before condos. Now a days I wish I could afford to live in some of what I would have considered "apartment" complexes in those days.
My parents paid $15,000.00 for the house I grew up in. I purchased that house 36 years later. I bought the same house the only "cosmetic improvement" (a.k.a no additions, plumbing, blowing out of walls, etc.)were a partial update to the electrical, put up a chain link fence, and paved the driveway, the house was appraised by a realtor for $152,000.00. I wish I could give you what that same house would be worth now, but we have done many changes over the past 25 years.
But, I digress, So what is middle class?
I always considered the family I grew up in middle class. Stay at home mom, Dad who worked (sometimes 2 jobs) 1 car, single family home with 3 bedrooms and 4 kids, fenced back yard, vacations consisted of camping in a trailer. Parents aren't saving for retirement because they foolishly believe Social Security and their life long job will have retirement income. With todays standards and inflation is that still middle class? Or would it look something like this...
Both parents work, both own cars, 1 bedroom for each child, single family home, get away vacations every other year, investments for retirement and childs college funds.
As a kid I remember if you went to "private" school you were upper class,Or if your family owned a boat, you ate out more than once a month (and by out I mean the one McDonalds in the county. If you went to public school you were middle class. And although I hate to admit it, I do NOT intend to offend anyone, this is my thought process as a CHILD, anyone who lived in an apartment I considered lower middle class, and if you took advantage of free school lunch or lived in an apartment complex, I had you tagged as low income. (again the thought process of a child) Of course, that was before condos. Now a days I wish I could afford to live in some of what I would have considered "apartment" complexes in those days.
My parents paid $15,000.00 for the house I grew up in. I purchased that house 36 years later. I bought the same house the only "cosmetic improvement" (a.k.a no additions, plumbing, blowing out of walls, etc.)were a partial update to the electrical, put up a chain link fence, and paved the driveway, the house was appraised by a realtor for $152,000.00. I wish I could give you what that same house would be worth now, but we have done many changes over the past 25 years.
But, I digress, So what is middle class?
, but that's just the difference in cost of living.
