If you were given a starter house and had no student loans…

[Anonymous]

What is the lowest salary you could earn and still live a middle class life style in the DMV?

[Anonymous]

This was basically me. My parents are+ scholarships paid for my undergrad, and my DH had a $100k inheritance that he had been saving for a down payment.

We bought a $600k house in the city, with a $2800 PITI. We earned about $220k HHI as DINKS and felt extremely comfortable. We probably could have been fine on $180k or so, but maybe would have traveled or updated our house a lot less.

Even with after one baby, it felt OK. We had daycare costs, but we also stopped traveling and eating out as much, so it kind of evened out. It didn't really start to feel tight until we had a second kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was basically me. My parents are+ scholarships paid for my undergrad, and my DH had a $100k inheritance that he had been saving for a down payment.

We bought a $600k house in the city, with a $2800 PITI. We earned about $220k HHI as DINKS and felt extremely comfortable. We probably could have been fine on $180k or so, but maybe would have traveled or updated our house a lot less.

Even with after one baby, it felt OK. We had daycare costs, but we also stopped traveling and eating out as much, so it kind of evened out. It didn't really start to feel tight until we had a second kid.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

DCUM middle class or actual middle class?

[Anonymous]

150-250 for family of 4, depending on house (2 bd condo obviously cheaper to maintain than a SFH)

[Anonymous]

We bought our small house in Bethesda when our HHI was less than 100K, because we had saved up enough for a downpayment of 40%. That was 13 years ago. And now we live in this house on the same HHI with two kids who are now teens.

We are more frugal than most, we didn't have daycare costs and we chose public schools. But if you don't pay a downpayment or mortgage, you could do that on a similar salary, I imagine and not be as frugal as we are (especially if you don't have kids yet). Your definition of "middle class life" is crucial to the conversation here, however.

[Anonymous]

No loans, inheritance paid for most of my house. Fed salary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCUM middle class or actual middle class?

Actual middle class. Assume a single person with mild disabilities who might not ever marry or have children. Some aspects of lifestyle would be:
Working just a single job with no need to have a part-time gig.
Yard service and possibly house cleaner once a month.
Ability to put money away for retirement.
No expensive hobbies.
Some charitable giving on a regular basis.
Can afford a mid-level very gently used car every 5-7 years.
1 week beach or mountain vacation every year.
Dine out or order in 1-2 a week.
As a pet owner, able to easily afford regular and emergency vet care.

[Anonymous]

If you are given a home, then you just have property taxes, insurance, and utilities. What people are posting makes no sense as the question is not having a mortgage.

We just paid off our small lower cost for the area house. We could probably make it on minimum wage now that it increased but kids are in a lot of activities and we save for college. You'd need maybe $8K a year for insurance, taxes and utilities plus house repairs (especially for an older house). Then, car insurance, health care, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM middle class or actual middle class?

Actual middle class. Assume a single person with mild disabilities who might not ever marry or have children. Some aspects of lifestyle would be:
Working just a single job with no need to have a part-time gig.
Yard service and possibly house cleaner once a month.
Ability to put money away for retirement.
No expensive hobbies.
Some charitable giving on a regular basis.
Can afford a mid-level very gently used car every 5-7 years.
1 week beach or mountain vacation every year.
Dine out or order in 1-2 a week.
As a pet owner, able to easily afford regular and emergency vet care.

DCUM middle class

[Anonymous]

In that scenario, I agree the house needs to be small to minimize real estate tax.

Min salary for one person: $50K a year.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP, I am an example of this.
My husband and I went to state schools, worked during college and had parental help with tuition. Neither of us gathered student debt.
We were renters when my grandfather died and I ended up with a 30K we used for a down payment on a $440k house in NW DC (not upper NW, but east of the park).

We have made a series of choices over the years due to childcare issues and parental health/ caregiving issues that have pretty much decimated any careers. We also have useless liberal arts degrees. I work part time.
We live on about 80K/ year just fine. No luxuries and we are frugal, but we have lots of time with our kids and families and I’d say our life/work balance is perfect. I am deeply grateful for the luck we had to be in this position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM middle class or actual middle class?

Actual middle class. Assume a single person with mild disabilities who might not ever marry or have children. Some aspects of lifestyle would be:
Working just a single job with no need to have a part-time gig.
Yard service and possibly house cleaner once a month.
Ability to put money away for retirement.
No expensive hobbies.
Some charitable giving on a regular basis.
Can afford a mid-level very gently used car every 5-7 years.
1 week beach or mountain vacation every year.
Dine out or order in 1-2 a week.
As a pet owner, able to easily afford regular and emergency vet care.

Yes, this is DCUM middle class

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM middle class or actual middle class?

Actual middle class. Assume a single person with mild disabilities who might not ever marry or have children. Some aspects of lifestyle would be:
Working just a single job with no need to have a part-time gig.
Yard service and possibly house cleaner once a month.
Ability to put money away for retirement.
No expensive hobbies.
Some charitable giving on a regular basis.
Can afford a mid-level very gently used car every 5-7 years.
1 week beach or mountain vacation every year.
Dine out or order in 1-2 a week.
As a pet owner, able to easily afford regular and emergency vet care.

Yes, this is DCUM middle class

DCUM middle class always seems to me like a maid every week, kids in private school or an upper income neighborhood public, luxury cars, and frequent vacations.

[Anonymous]

I have a situation with the house but had loans.

The house is older so every few years, there's a big cost, like $10-20k. Plus small things like the plumbing isn't good so I call the plumber more than normal. And while the schools are fine, they aren't great so many opt for private high school. We were at 200k once with 2 kids in daycare + saving full for retirement, that felt doable, could maybe do a little less. But definitely not keeping up with the neighbors, no big trips or fancy cars.