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That's why I love Minnesota, where I'm from. COL is realitively low, while QOL is high.
One who makes $100,000+ has made it. You can get yourself a pretty decent home for $400,000 and a REALLY nice home for $600,000k.
Another thing I've noticed about Minnesota is the modesty. I know many millionairs, much of which who drive Silverados, Hondas, and Toyotas.
I think it's funny when I visit family in San Diego. These people live in a crappy tiny house with no yard and have 3 roomates, while they have a BMW or Benz sitting in the driveway. Cool man, you're in your 30s, rent a house with 3 other people, and drive an 04' Beemer. You're not rich.
I don't consider Drs. and lawyers upper class. Do you mean the wealthy? As in Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, etc.? Drs. and lawyer are upper middle class maybe. Professional people, i.e. Drs and lawyers, have to work just like the other classes. Either you work because you have to or you are rich and there is no need. The Rockefellers and Vanderbilts come to mind.
Politicians have to work as well. Yes many of them are rich, but they want to be richer! We just don't have a nobility class such as in Europe. We are all workaholics in this country. Well except for those who enjoy sponging off the government and taxpayers
I believe most Americans are working class, although they mostly claim they are middle class. Workers who have bosses, salaries, little personal freedom in the workplace, and so on are basically part of the working class, in my book. Worker bees.
I used to believe most Americans were middle class, until I realized 'middle class' meant professional workers who had degrees and two car garages in the suburbs. These people I would estimate represent maybe 25% of the country whereas the working class makes up maybe 50%.
You are correct if you define"working class" as being employed by another with no profession outside of the job.
Americans will fight you about this because most Americans are middle class- in their own munds,at least.
These income categories are pure BS. I have seen people who make $35,000/year living better than people making $150,000/year. It's all about spending and saving. It is possible to make $150,000 and still live check to check. Look at these people in the music and movie industry who make millions of dollars a year and end up broke as soon as the checks stop coming in!
I feel $250,000 puts you in upper middle class. That's what DH was making before he retired. If we had bought things like Lexus and Cadillacs and a mansion or a summer home we'd have no money in the bank.
My husband had a coworker who made $300,000, and was worried about losing his big house because he was having trouble making the payments, He had spent too much on nice cars, and a boat and his wife spent a lot of money on clothes, shoes and jewelry.
Social class also incorporates family, even in the US. There are people who don't really make all that much, but they belong to a moneyed upper class family, so they're still upper class.
My father was a carpenter, my husband was orphaned at age 12 and succeeded on his own, without a college degree. We couldn't get into upper class if we tried.
I believe most Americans are working class, although they mostly claim they are middle class. Workers who have bosses, salaries, little personal freedom in the workplace, and so on are basically part of the working class, in my book. Worker bees.
I used to believe most Americans were middle class, until I realized 'middle class' meant professional workers who had degrees and two car garages in the suburbs. These people I would estimate represent maybe 25% of the country whereas the working class makes up maybe 50%.
Well wouldn't the working class cover just about everyone employed in a workplace? Unless you're self-employed or a CEO/President, you'd be part of the working class. Even doctors have bosses so technically they're part of the working class right?
Since when does two cars with a house in the suburbs make you in the minority? Isn't this where most people live?
I think in the NY-NJ metro area, upper middle class would be the $175k - $500k range (a pretty big range). Above $500k would be wealthy, by most definitions.
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