re: Is a family of 4 that earns 97k/year middle class or upper class, on average?

I have not read beyond page 1, so forgive if this is Germans, but I am also adding that the ages of the two kids is a variable in the mix. If the two are younger but healthy the expenses they may represent are going to be lower than when they get to be teens and enter college. In other words, $97k is not a lot and in most places, middle to lower middle at best. It would present a "few frills" ok life, but the kids would see how "deprived" they are compared with real middle and upper middle class friends. And they will say so.