re: Who is middle class? Their income is lower than you might think

Everyone thinks they are middle class and rich is anyone who has more than you.

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Everyone thinks they are middle class and rich is anyone who has more than you.

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This is pretty much what I was trying to say, but much more concise.

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A household income of $59,036 (the figure in the OP) would put a vast majority of households in the world in the top 1 or 2 percent of richest people in the country.

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several countries have similar household averages.

but props for comparing us to those 3rd world numbers.

solid logic, for sure.

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Damn baller

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I am the lowest paid in my lab because well im in a lab with 20-30 year vets.

They are tReal Ballers.

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For whatever reason, people often underestimate how good they've got it. $150k household income is nearly the 88th percentile, yet these people act like they're barely getting by on that income.

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Anyone making more than 100k in the South and thinking that isn't fairly well off is an extremely poor manager of money.

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the typical household in 2016 had an income of $59,036.

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There is no "typical" household.

Everything depends on where you live.

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People making $50,000 don't realize that people making $300,000 really don't live that much different.

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Ummmm no. I need to call my boss and tell him I need a 200k raise and that its "not that much different". Differences in my life if I made 200k more a year.

- My home would be paid off right now instead of the 30 year mortgage I have (I did put down 20% but still)
- I wouldn't be driving a 19 year old car with body panels that are 3 different colors
- My retirement account would be much healthier
- I could actually take vacations
- College fund for my kids would actually be funded

You're a little detached from reality is you think 20k a month isn't much of a difference for a high school teacher.

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wouldn't be driving a 19 year old car with body panels that are 3 different colors

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there is zero excuse for this

My wife and I combine for about $140,000 a year. We live in Arabi, so we are doing pretty well. We are 27 and 26 respectfully.

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Is the American middle class better off than ever? Discuss.

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I think it depends upon what you think better off means.

For most people raising a family it takes two incomes, which means there will be a lot more time spent making money than perhaps enjoying a quality standard of life. Quality time with family takes a hit most times, as does food and overall health, and happiness, because hell, everyone is out chasing the carrot. We hand off the child raising to other people and things, and then scratch our heads when the kids are overweight, unhappy, unsatisfied, and often times dysfunctioning strangers.

I’m just not so sure that is “Better Off” than years past as it is having more stuff perhaps, but you can’t stop now. Gotta keep getting new stuff to replace the old outdated stuff. It’s a cycle we find ourselves in that I think will eventually prove itself at some point to most people to be unsustainable and unrewarding.