What, by today's standards, is considered upper-middle and upper class?

Question

What, by today's standards, is considered upper-middle and upper class? How much does one have to make a year to be considered in these cats.? THANKS

Answer 1

Here is what you are looking for: (this is all from the US census bureau)


This is for families in the US in 2006:
The poorest 20% make less then 25,616
the next 20% make between .........25,616 and 45,021
the middle 20% make between ...45,021 and 68,304
the next 20% make between .........68,304 and 103,101
the top 20% make .......................103,101 and above

in the top 20%, the richest 5% make over 184,500
http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032006/faminc/new06_000.htm
most of the top 20% are in the upper middle class, the top 2% should probably be considered the upper class, the truly rich

the middle class is usually defined as the 25% above and below the median income.
$46,071 is the median household income in the US average over 2 years 2004-2005 So given the chart above, I would put it roughly between $30,000 and $85,000

This will give you all kinds of information on income by education, sex, age family size etc
http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032006/faminc/new01_001.htm

this will give you median household income by state
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/income05/statemhi2.html
As you will see, the highest values are on the northeast and west coast. The midwest is next, but nowhere near 300K for middle class and the south is generally the lowest.


Now, as Kim_D above mentioined there seems to be only 2 classes. This is becoming more and more true.
http://www.census.gov/hhes/income/midclass/midclsan.html

Answer 2

Wow, I consider her to be rich if she lives in a $500,000 home. I'd say that if a family lives in a $300,000 then they're in the upper-middle class range... but that's just me.

Answer 3

Upper middle class - depends on the part of the country (coasts are much more $$$).

$300k / year family income for the midwest is upper middle class.

$500k / year family income for the midwest is the beginning bounds of upper class.

Answer 4

I believe there only two classes anymore. Poverty and Upper class. Poverty is anything under 50.000 a year.

Answer 5

it depends on what part of the country you live in