Are you considered middle class where you live?

[ESF]

If anything, this quiz illustrates the absurdity of the "well, we make bank but live in HCOL so we are like, barely middle class" argument. Because I'm kind of dying at the idea that people making $200k/year are middle class just because they live in one of the wealthiest suburbs in America and have all the luxuries of life that go with that.

[racegrrl714]

We're just barely over for our county, but I would guess that for our city, it's more like upper-middle. We live in the wealthiest area of our county (which really isn't saying much. LOL).

[tres3]

Jun 2, 2015 9:43:57 GMT -5 ESF said:

If anything, this quiz illustrates the absurdity of the "well, we make bank but live in HCOL so we are like, barely middle class" argument. Because I'm kind of dying at the idea that people making $200k/year are middle class just because they live in one of the wealthiest suburbs in America and have all the luxuries of life that go with that.

I would agree with this.

I looked our neighboring county and upper class started 30k below what middle class starts at in my very affluent county (some say the wealthiest in the US if you consider COL). 

[wawa]

Jun 2, 2015 9:43:57 GMT -5 ESF said:

If anything, this quiz illustrates the absurdity of the "well, we make bank but live in HCOL so we are like, barely middle class" argument. Because I'm kind of dying at the idea that people making $200k/year are middle class just because they live in one of the wealthiest suburbs in America and have all the luxuries of life that go with that.

I had a whole post along these lines and didn't post it...but yes.  What you said. 

I mean...saying i'm middle of the road middle class FOR THIS COUNTY isn't really saying jack shit.  It's an expensive place to buy a home.  K?  We're paying for what that gets us (for us - mainly easy commuting to two major cities since it opens up 2x the job possibilities).  Just because we pay a lot for the luxuries we have doesn't mean that income doesn't count or something.

[lg28]

ESF

Preach. I mean, if I went by my actual street we are Probably "poor". We don't have an NHL or surgeons salary, LOL.
Just because we live on the most expensive street in town doesn't mean we are middle class because everyone else is wealthier.

I liked the canadian one because it was about total assets and debts.

[wawa]

Jun 2, 2015 9:52:35 GMT -5 @mrsbecky said:

Jun 2, 2015 9:34:18 GMT -5 wawa said:

I've always thought of NoVA as being hoity toityer than my area - but my county (HoCo) is only a few grand behind that.  Who knew?

No wonder everybody keeps moving out to the boonies with @mrsbecky

 all the cool kids are doing it!!!


Howard county is ridiculous man. RIDICULOUS.  If you are mostly along the 95 corridor in it or 29 its easy to forget the serious money that is there. 

Yup. My little corner is relatively affordable with reasonable older homes (yay being on the border with PG) but damn, head west and it just gets crazy reeeeal fast.

[somersault72]

Yes, on the lower end of middle class for my county. I actually thought I would be more solidly into middle class, but there is one area of the county that's considerably wealthier than the rest.

[iammalcolmx]

Jun 2, 2015 10:19:14 GMT -5 @choco said:

Jun 1, 2015 16:11:05 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

I am fancy.

::sits next to you quietly::

Chile I am just keeping it real!!!

[NitaX]

Jun 2, 2015 10:19:14 GMT -5 @choco said:

Jun 1, 2015 16:11:05 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

I am fancy.

::sits next to you quietly::

Got room for one more?

[Deleted]

The thing about class though is that it's more than just income. Even if you are mortgaged to the hilt, pay student loans out the ass, we're talking about a better quality of education for your children, safer neighborhoods, less policing, and the general sense of potential that comes the higher you are in social status.

[sfy]

Jun 2, 2015 9:43:57 GMT -5 ESF said:

If anything, this quiz illustrates the absurdity of the "well, we make bank but live in HCOL so we are like, barely middle class" argument. Because I'm kind of dying at the idea that people making $200k/year are middle class just because they live in one of the wealthiest suburbs in America and have all the luxuries of life that go with that.

True, but the thing about this is that it is objective.  It's not really about middle class in the ordinary sense, but rather middle income based on their methodology, so no other factors are are clouding the issue.  While people earning $221K are comfortable by any measure, it is interesting (at least to me) to see that it puts them right in the middle in Fairfax county.

[soxin2]

Jun 1, 2015 16:01:02 GMT -5 gault said:

Just made it into middle class by a grand or two.

Ditto.

[Deleted]

Jun 2, 2015 6:57:02 GMT -5 LoveTrains said:

Jun 2, 2015 5:46:50 GMT -5 @hannymaren said:

So the test listed at the bottom of the article only takes I to account your debts and assets which is interesting. It said that my family is lower middle category due to our mortgage and debt but if I went on MM and said I was middle class, people would be calling me a complainer or sending me away.

ETA. So cost of living does matter? Daycare costs do matter?

But you have additional debt from living beyond your means. Even if you rolled that into your mortgage (against the advice of MM), you still have an income that puts you above middle class. 

I agree. But the test put me lower. That's what Im saying. Flawed test.
Plus expensive real estate.

[simpsongal]

Surprisingly yes, but we're in one of the richest counties in the US.

[LoveTrains]

Jun 2, 2015 14:00:06 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

Jun 2, 2015 10:49:05 GMT -5 sfy said:

True, but the thing about this is that it is objective.  It's not really about middle class in the ordinary sense, but rather middle income based on their methodology, so no other factors are are clouding the issue.  While people earning $221K are comfortable by any measure, it is interesting (at least to me) to see that it puts them right in the middle in Fairfax county.

YES.  Middle income =/= middle class. 

Right now we're upper income based on our location.  If we lived in Fairfax County, we'd be middle; but we'd enjoy better neighborhoods, more solid infrastructure, safer towns, better schools.  I'm sorry, but that's upper class, no matter what your income level says comparative to where you live.  

Do you have a Whole Foods within ten miles?
Are your schools consistently ranked at the top for your state/the country?
Do you have low crime?
Do your neighbors care for their lawns?
Do you rarely hear police or fire sirens?
Could you leave your doors unlocked comfortably for half an hour?

that's an interesting list. I live in one of the wealthiest zip codes in my state and have two whole foods within 1.5 miles.

however, city schools are ranked poorly.
My house was broken into last year and the B&E rate for our neighborhood is very high.
I could not leave my door unlocked uncomfortably for half an hour.
I hear sirens all the time. 

I think your list is heavily weighted to the suburbs. I live in the city. 

[eclaires]

I love showing things like this to my H because he is convinced we are poor. I think he just likes to pretend we are so he can tell me not to spend money. Or because his view is so skewed from where he grew up and the level of comfort he grew up in. I guarantee when his parents had an 8yo and a 4yo, they weren't as well off as they are now.

Anyway, we aren't middle class. We are above it for our county.

[LoveTrains]

Jun 2, 2015 9:55:52 GMT -5 tres3 said:

Jun 2, 2015 9:43:57 GMT -5 ESF said:

If anything, this quiz illustrates the absurdity of the "well, we make bank but live in HCOL so we are like, barely middle class" argument. Because I'm kind of dying at the idea that people making $200k/year are middle class just because they live in one of the wealthiest suburbs in America and have all the luxuries of life that go with that.

I would agree with this.

I looked our neighboring county and upper class started 30k below what middle class starts at in my very affluent county (some say the wealthiest in the US if you consider COL). 

But your school board has been taken over by the crazies. I'll stick to the people's republic of cambridge. 

[agnes]

My income alone is middle. H and I combined, still middle.

[hulley]

Our range is huge. $44,999 to $134,324.