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<p>Well, you can use the term however you like, but the fact is in the U.S. just about everyone considers himself “middle class.” According to a 2010 Pew Research Center survey, only 2% of Americans define themselves as “upper class,” and only 8% define themselves as “lower class.” The rest define themselves as either “middle class” (50%), “upper middle class” (19%), or “lower middle class” (21%).</p>
<p>If we assume all the self-identified “upper class” and “upper middle class” people are pegging themselves accurately, those two groups would represent roughly the top quintile of family income, which according to the U.S. Census Bureau would include every family earning $113,744 or more. If the next 50% below that are “middle class,” a middle class family income would represent everything from about $37,000 up to $113,743. Below $37K would be the “lower middle class” and “lower class.” </p>
<p>No doubt many people don’t place themselves accurately on the income scale, but surveys have also shown that people’s perceptions of what counts as “middle class” depend largely on their own income level. According to the Pew Research Center, on average people with family incomes below $40,000 say the middle class starts at $45,000, while people with family incomes above $150,000 say the middle class starts at $100,000 and goes up the there–never mind that a family income of $100K would put you in roughly the top-earning 25% of families.</p>
<p>As I say, you’re welcome to use the term “middle class” however you like, but people quickly start talking past each other on anything to do with the “middle class” because they’re usually not talking about the same groups of people.</p>