Middle Class in Arlington

[Anonymous]

From Nova Today daily newsletter:
Number: $89,055-$267,164. If your household income falls in that range, you’re considered middle class for Arlington, according to a report from SmartAsset. Arlington’s range was the No. 5 highest overall and No. 1 highest in the state.

[Anonymous]

Why such a wide salary range? I mean I feel like $90K and you struggling. If $267K is the end point, I would think the range should be like $150K to $267K.

[Anonymous]

That range makes zero sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why such a wide salary range? I mean I feel like $90K and you struggling. If $267K is the end point, I would think the range should be like $150K to $267K.

Generally, yes, but at $90k you qualify for various assistance. Your kid probably gets a full ride to college. You might get food stamps, fee health care, assistance on your utility bills, free or reduced school lunch. There is a world where some people live better at $90k than $160.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That range makes zero sense.

Same. I’d put it at $150-300K for a family of 4 IF you bought or refinanced during the covid era and have a sub 3.5% rate. $250-400K for a family of 4 if you bought after and have a 6+% interest rate. And even $250 feels low - a $750K mortgage at 7% is still $6K PITI with 20% down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why such a wide salary range? I mean I feel like $90K and you struggling. If $267K is the end point, I would think the range should be like $150K to $267K.

Generally, yes, but at $90k you qualify for various assistance. Your kid probably gets a full ride to college. You might get food stamps, fee health care, assistance on your utility bills, free or reduced school lunch. There is a world where some people live better at $90k than $160.

This can’t possibly be true about food stamps and free healthcare. Maybe if you have 9 kids?

[Anonymous]

That makes zero sense at all. We have a HHI of $275k and left the area because it was way too tight for us - mostly driven by housing costs. We are definitely not above “middle class.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why such a wide salary range? I mean I feel like $90K and you struggling. If $267K is the end point, I would think the range should be like $150K to $267K.

Probably depends on the number of people and the type of housing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That makes zero sense at all. We have a HHI of $275k and left the area because it was way too tight for us - mostly driven by housing costs. We are definitely not above “middle class.”

You definitely are but Arlington is upper middle class.

[Anonymous]

i think its because of south arlington, if you live in north arlington is often you see people making 800k/year living moddest middle class lifestyles

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i think its because of south arlington, if you live in north arlington is often you see people making 800k/year living moddest middle class lifestyles

True. We make that and live like we make $250K (very small house, 1 car, buy most clothes from Target, etc). We do need to get a larger house soon so unfortunately that will “show our hand” a bit more which we aren’t thrilled about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From Nova Today daily newsletter:
Number: $89,055-$267,164. If your household income falls in that range, you’re considered middle class for Arlington, according to a report from SmartAsset. Arlington’s range was the No. 5 highest overall and No. 1 highest in the state.

And $267,264 could be very rich or very poor. A 60 year old man making that much on one income with kids out of college, wife still a SAHM mom semi retired and no mortgage that is big money.

A 40 year old with a million mortgage and two kids in day care as two income to make that salary is poor. Two sets of commutes, college to save for, big mortgage it goes quick .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That makes zero sense at all. We have a HHI of $275k and left the area because it was way too tight for us - mostly driven by housing costs. We are definitely not above “middle class.”

But most people with that income bought pre 2020. Housing costs are actually pretty low. My neighbor bought an estate sale house next door to me and only had a 700K mortgage in 2018 and when he refinanced in 2020 at around 2.75 percent the payment is tiny. A person buying that same home today with same downpayment would now have a 1.2 million dollar mortage due to house being 500K more and a 5.75 interest rate!! That is an insance difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From Nova Today daily newsletter:
Number: $89,055-$267,164. If your household income falls in that range, you’re considered middle class for Arlington, according to a report from SmartAsset. Arlington’s range was the No. 5 highest overall and No. 1 highest in the state.

And $267,264 could be very rich or very poor. A 60 year old man making that much on one income with kids out of college, wife still a SAHM mom semi retired and no mortgage that is big money.

A 40 year old with a million mortgage and two kids in day care as two income to make that salary is poor. Two sets of commutes, college to save for, big mortgage it goes quick .

+1. I was living that second lifestyle with two babies in daycare, except my mortgage was half that. We were comfortable in that we had the basics, could afford to take some driving trips to the beach, and still put money away in retirement and to fix up and occasionally upgrade parts of our teardown dump of a tiny house by living frugally.

Now we make twice as much, and it is a lot more comfortable. Still can’t afford what most SFH are selling for these days without significant sacrifices, but at least I don’t have to be frugal in every aspect of my life anymore in order to put a few bucks away. It’s nice to outsource things like cleaning and landscaping and sign kids up for activities. Or heck, trade in an unreliable car. I feel incredibly privileged. Rich? No.