Are you Middle Class

[mike012]

Wasn't sure where to put it in the boneyard so I figured it might fit here somehow. Since CT needs to thing BIG and nothing does that more then money if you ask me. Anyway I did a few other states and my house hold total was off the charts in the few Alabama areas I picked. In CT we were middle class to a little past it depending on the county.


link

http://money.cnn.com/interactive/economy/middle-class-calculator/

 

[Chuck]

Prediction: All but a few of us will believe we are middle class even if our income puts us above that level.

 

[ElGuapo]

Phew.
Safely above the Middle Class range for Middlesex County.

Although why do we still feel like we don't have any money?
Perhaps one reason is the $1200 a month going to pre-school for my daughter.
Which ends in 2 weeks when she "graduates" so that will be good.
But I'm guessing we'll still be the working poor.

 

[Adios]

I hope this thread doesn't lead to suicides.

 

[John Greene]

Apologies in advance if this comment turns the thread in a cesspool direction, but shouldn't these thing be measured after all taxes are paid. That number is really the amount you have to support your family lifestyle.

 

[noeynox]

We are well above middle class for new haven county, but damn wtf are we doing wrong? Child care is a huge expense as we both work 9-5s with a four and five year old. Its fahking painful to think we are mismanaging so poorly.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

We are well above middle class for new haven county, but damn wtf are we doing wrong? Child care is a huge expense as we both work 9-5s with a four and five year old. Its fahking painful to think we are mismanaging so poorly.

If you are truly in the mood for some real hurt...sit down with your better half and tally just the raw amount spent on daycare alone. If you haven't done this before...be warned! It will blur your vision and make you sweat for a few moments don't panic..it will pass.

 

[noeynox]

If you are truly in the mood for some real hurt...sit down with your better half and tally just the raw amount spent on daycare alone. If you haven't done this before...be warned! It will blur your vision and make you sweat for a few moments don't panic..it will pass.

we have. When they were younger, the mortgage was 1627 a month, day care was 1605 a month. It has gone down I wanna say were down by about 500 a month though that may be high. Our town passed all day kindergarten this year which has been a godsend but we still have to have our son bussed to after care. I really would have preferred for my wife to take a few years off from work and live more conservatively on one salary but she would have none of it.

 

[Marty Jackson]

We are well above middle class for new haven county, but damn wtf are we doing wrong? Child care is a huge expense as we both work 9-5s with a four and five year old. Its fahking painful to think we are mismanaging so poorly.

Been there... At one point we had a full time nanny for roughly $700 week and we did that for a year.
People talk about college expense but at least you have years to plan and save. Daycare can be almost as expensive and more impactful if you're young and just getting started.
Now that kids are in school, it's like got a 40% raise...

 

[Marty Jackson]

Wasn't sure where to put it in the boneyard so I figured it might fit here somehow. Since CT needs to thing BIG and nothing does that more then money if you ask me. Anyway I did a few other states and my house hold total was off the charts in the few Alabama areas I picked. In CT we were middle class to a little past it depending on the county.


link

http://money.cnn.com/interactive/economy/middle-class-calculator/

So my cousin in w Hartford with $3m in the bank living on $50k/yr is middle class?
Income seems like a poor factor for measuring wealth...

 

[Slasher]

It also doesn't consider the # of people in the household. A family of five living on say $80,000 is quite a bit different than say a single guy or girl making $80,000.

 

[BlueDogs]

Among the highest taxes in the country, among highest cost of living, one of top 5 underfunded pension states, and a net negative population growth. Do you think maybe the last 20 years of democrat controlled legislature is a problem? Our middle class is not what it used to be.

 

[SubbaBub]

Among the highest taxes in the country, among highest cost of living, one of top 5 underfunded pension states, and a net negative population growth. Do you think maybe the last 20 years of democrat controlled legislature is a problem? Our middle class is not what it used to be.

Income tax - GOP governor
Casino Deal - GOP governor
Sin taxes to balance the Budget - GOP governor.

Crashing economy - GOP Presidents

 

[tzznandrew]

KEEP POLITICS ON THE CESSPOOL!!!!!

 

[The X Man]

Income tax - GOP governor
Casino Deal - GOP governor
Sin taxes to balance the Budget - GOP governor.

Crashing economy - GOP Presidents

Wasn't Weiker the governor when the casino deal and income tax enacted?

 

[DarthGrumpy]

The problem is when Middle Class salaries, even on the high ends, say $150K per year, does not fit with Middle Class living in the suburbs such as the average housing price of $700K Wyckoff NJ (Bergen County) or $500K in Reading MA (Middlesex County), both above average communities; but, not elite.

 

[SubbaBub]

Don't confuse income class with lifestyle class. If you live above your means you will feel economic stress regardless if you make 50k or 1M per year.

Rich people complain about not having enough all the time. Perspective make people like that look foolish.

If you earn 150k yr then you are certainly not middle class.

Middle class is actually fairly low class when you consider how little the median income actually is when compared with the top.

This is the income inequality argument in a different wrapper. If 1% has half the wealth then the distribution curve is skewed out of whack.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Don't confuse income class with lifestyle class. If you live above your means you will feel economic stress regardless if you make 50k or 1M per year.

Rich people complain about not having enough all the time. Perspective make people like that look foolish.

If you earn 150k yr then you are certainly not middle class.

Middle class is actually fairly low class when you consider how little the median income actually is when compared with the top.

This is the income inequality argument in a different wrapper. If 1% has half the wealth then the distribution curve is skewed out of whack.

The middle class in my county in MA (according to the site) goes up to 167K. That seems about right to me. In some places, it would be much higher. One of my colleagues who lives in Palo Alto is in a two lawyer family (him and his wife) and they cannot buy even a small home. A simple ranch on a tiny lot is over $1.5 million. If you make $100K in Palo Alto, you aren't middle class, you are poor.

 

[SubbaBub]

The middle class in my county in MA (according to the site) goes up to 167K. That seems about right to me. In some places, it would be much higher. One of my colleagues who lives in Palo Alto is in a two lawyer family (him and his wife) and they cannot buy even a small home. A simple ranch on a tiny lot is over $1.5 million. If you make $100K in Palo Alto, you aren't middle class, you are poor.

Park Avenue rents are expensive too. People who work there commute. Palo is not a middle class address. Commuting from San Jose is middle class.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Park Avenue rents are expensive too. People who work there commute. Palo is not a middle class address. Commuting from San Jose is middle class.

San Jose isn't much cheaper. My friend's little 1200 sq ft ranch with no garage on 1/16 acre is over $1M now. NYC has similar issues for sure, and aside from Park Avenue, you can't live anywhere in NYC cheaply.