Are you Middle Class?
In this post, you’ll find a closer look at what “middle class” really means today, and whether that label still fits in a country where so many feel one emergency away from crisis.
💼 What Does “Middle Class” Mean Anymore?
According to the Pew Research Center, about 52% of U.S. adults lived in middle-income households in 2022, while 28% were in lower-income and 19% in upper-income brackets.
Pew defines “middle income” as earning roughly two-thirds to double the national median. about $56,600 to $169,800 for a three-person household. You can see where you land with Pew’s Middle Class Calculator.
But here’s the real question: Do you define yourself as middle class and why?
For some, the label represents stability or opportunity. For others, it feels like a mirage, an identity that doesn’t reflect the rising costs of housing, childcare, and healthcare. What does “middle class” mean when so many feel one emergency away from financial strain?
The numbers tell one story. Your experience may tell another.
🤔 Beyond the Calculator
Writer Dana Miranda puts it this way:
“The line between working class and middle class often distracts from the real divide — the one between those who work and those who own.”
That question feels especially relevant now. Much of personal finance culture budgeting rules, “money mindset” advice, even the concept of “financial wellness” has been built through a middle-class lens. It assumes stability, access, and time that not everyone has.
When we talk about class, we’re really talking about access: to safety nets, opportunities, and choices. If you’re saving diligently but can’t buy a home, or earning a solid salary but still struggling with childcare, are you still “middle class”?
📉 Why This Reflection Matters
Understanding your income tier is useful for planning but it’s just one lens. Class is also about how stable we feel and how close we are to risk. The gap between what we earn and what things cost has never felt wider, and that gap shows up in our stress, relationships, and daily decisions.
Questioning these definitions isn’t about semantics it’s about clarity. When we rethink what “middle class” means, we start to see how policy, privilege, and community support (or lack thereof) shape our financial lives far more than personal effort alone.
⚙️ Your Financial Action Step
Use Pew’s calculator to see where your household falls.
Reflect: Does that label reflect your lived experience of financial security?
Think about what “middle class” means to you: stability, comfort, opportunity, or something else entirely?
This reflection isn’t about labels for their own sake. It’s about noticing where identity, privilege, and policy intersect and how we can create new definitions rooted in shared experience rather than outdated ones.
💬 A Question for You
How do you define “middle class”? Does it feel like a label that fits or one that no longer makes sense?
Hit reply and let me know.
