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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]You people are insane. Per this article, to be in the top 5% of earners in the DC area, you need to make over $250k a year:

https://statisticalatlas.com/state/District-of-Columbia/Household-Income

If you are in the TOP 5% OF EARNERS you are by definition NOT IN THE MIDDLE. DUH. You are also not in the upper middle. YOU ARE AT THE TOP. YOU ARE RICH. Yes, we do, as a society, tend to take a wide view of middle, but anyone claiming to be middle class, or upper middle class, who is making more than $250k a year, is incredibly out of step with reality.

The exact cutoff we can discuss. The top 20% cutoff is $163k. I can see an argument for that being &quot;upper middle class.&quot; This doesn't breakdown the top 10%, but I'm guessing it's around $200k. That's a reasonable cutoff. Clearly people can disagree here, and there's nuance.

But if you're above $250k and you are claiming upper middle class, I judge you HARD. Own it. You're rich. [/quote]

There are two kinds of &quot;middle class&quot; that for some reason nobody seems to realize on threads like these.

There's &quot;statistical middle class&quot; and in that kind you're totally right that basically nobody on this thread actually falls into, but the statistical middle class has very little relevance in a HCOL area like DC.

The middle class that actually matters is &quot;lifestyle middle class.&quot; Obviously there is no one single definition but in general statistical middle class people:

Can afford to own their own home in an area with decent public schools but can't afford to live in elite enclaves or literal mansions

Are not paycheck to paycheck, but absolutely cannot afford to stop working

Can afford a car or two but not luxury/performance cars

Can afford a reasonable vacation or two every year but no first class or extravagant international destinations

Can afford to save for retirement but can't afford to retire early

And so forth. Obviously these aren't hard and fast rules and middle class people may choose to sacrifice in one area to improve another but in general that's what I'd consider a &quot;middle class lifestyle,&quot; and the reality of the DC area is that you need to be making $150K+ to afford that.

[/quote]

Many of the people on this thread absolutely could quit working if they wanted to.  “I’m rich but it doesn’t feel like it because I live in a very expensive house” doesn’t mean one is not rich.[/quote]

No, many people have two earners with professional degrees where both people make about the same. Together they make a lot (like $250-300K) but neither one can quit. Neither salary is enough to support what would traditionally be considered a middle class lifestyle (mortgage on a reasonable house, regular cars, some college and retirement savings---&gt;&quot;living paycheck-to-paycheck&quot; is the definition of [i]working class[/i]), but together they are enough to live comfortably around here. And by the time you are in your 40s or 50s you have some equity and retirement savings so you have some net worth. [/quote]

$150K/year (one spouse's income, in your example) is plenty to live on, particularly with some savings.  Again, "I'm not really rich because I spend all my money on nice amenities like big houses and private schooling" is a silly argument.[/quote]

Sure but by that logic, aren't most people in this country rich? $40k/year is plenty to live on if you live in a homeless shelter. You can even save half your salary! [/quote]

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