PSA: $250K family of 4 in the DMV area is not middle class

[Anonymous]

..no matter how much you think you are. If you feel middle class, then your spending is probably too high.

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/09/16/are-you-in-the-american-middle-class/

[Anonymous]

I wasn’t sure which way this was going to go. I happen to agree with the survey but your post easily could have gone the other way on this forum!

[Anonymous]

I'm just....middle class lol

[Anonymous]

What is sadder are all the DC area people in households that have a $400k annual income who claim to be just middle class and struggling to get by. So. Out. Of. Touch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is sadder are all the DC area people in households that have a $400k annual income who claim to be just middle class and struggling to get by. So. Out. Of. Touch.

Forgot to add Exhibit A:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1277318.page

[Anonymous]

In the country as a whole middle class isn't very high life. The lower threshold for MC in Arlington is around $90k. 2/3 the median income.
MC is having a budget, juggling payments, maybe some college.

[Anonymous]

As a family of five in DC with a HHI of about exactly $250k, I 100% agree. Honestly, we could really feel the difference in moving Fromm about $225k to about $250k - I think around here that’s about the tipping point from UMC to… well upper class has implications beyond income, so let’s say “well off.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the country as a whole middle class isn't very high life. The lower threshold for MC in Arlington is around $90k. 2/3 the median income.
MC is having a budget, juggling payments, maybe some college.

Or a bachelor's/master's degree and is a teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the country as a whole middle class isn't very high life. The lower threshold for MC in Arlington is around $90k. 2/3 the median income.
MC is having a budget, juggling payments, maybe some college.

The majority of college students are middle class.

[Anonymous]

The median family income in DC is around $150,000. $250,000 for a family would be around the upper bound of middle class for DC.

But this a stupid discussion because $250k in the DMV is not rich even though it would be in Peoria.

https://www.incomebyzipcode.com/districtofcolumbia

[Anonymous]

80K to 210K is the middle income tier for a family of 4 in the DC area, according to that calculator. It's not wrong. This has been pretty consistent among economic calculators for a number of years now.

[Anonymous]

This calculator is odd apparently 250k is the same class at 2m lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a family of five in DC with a HHI of about exactly $250k, I 100% agree. Honestly, we could really feel the difference in moving Fromm about $225k to about $250k - I think around here that’s about the tipping point from UMC to… well upper class has implications beyond income, so let’s say “well off.”

This. My husband explained it like this: If you need 200k just to pay all bills, etc and your income goes from $225k to 250k, then your discretionary income essentially doubled. (25k to 50k) which is why you feel it so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a family of five in DC with a HHI of about exactly $250k, I 100% agree. Honestly, we could really feel the difference in moving Fromm about $225k to about $250k - I think around here that’s about the tipping point from UMC to… well upper class has implications beyond income, so let’s say “well off.”

This. My husband explained it like this: If you need 200k just to pay all bills, etc and your income goes from $225k to 250k, then your discretionary income essentially doubled. (25k to 50k) which is why you feel it so much.

Glad your husband is present to help undertake basic critical thinking.

[Anonymous]

I’m at $253K for the first time this year and still juggling FB aments. If you weren’t lucky enough to get a 2% mortgage, life is extremely expensive.