5 ms·
The biggest problem is that 250k a year is is barely middle class in a large city. If you have three children, and 250k income, that will provide you a decent
by s_q_b 11y ago
The biggest problem is that 250k a year is is barely middle class in a large city.
If you have three children, and 250k income, that will provide you a decent living, maaaybe allow you to purchase a home, and just barely afford college funds. That's what's broken.
- astrange 11y agoThat's only in San Francisco and other rich neighborhoods. Even in NYC and LA, 250k is more than any family you know makes.
- encoderer 11y agoNYC real estate is more expensive per sqft than San Francisco. > Even in NYC and LA, 250k is more than any family you know makes What on earth does this even mean? If you have 2 professional incomes in a family in any of the cities you mentioned, you're at $250k.
- astrange 11y agoWell, I only aim to be 90% right.
- deleted 11y ago[deleted]
- rubyfan 11y agoI'd have to disagree, I live in New England in a second or third tier city and know many families making $250k/y who are comfortable sure but its not Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. As others have pointed out, there's not much margin there if you are doing what you are supposed to be doing, i.e. owning a home, paying your bills, saving for retirement for two and saving for college for 2.5. I'd agree with others sentiment here, the median income being 53k/y is the real problem. There is no excess capital to redistribute from the top of the 95% to the bottom. It just doesn't exist anymore.
- hardcandy 11y agoTwo entry level developers at Facebook would make >$250k combined. As would a CRNA married to a nurse. As would almost any post-residency physician working 50+ hours per week. As would any big law associate beyond 3rd or 4th year. There are a lot of poor people out there, but there are a LOT of $250-$500k/year households too.
- harryh 11y agoYour understanding of what middle class looks like is ridiculously skewed. You live in a bubble where you barely even get a glimpse of what people living on a median income look like.
- omonra 11y agoYou are confusing middle income and middle class, they are not the same.
- harryh 11y agoYou are splitting hairs to create some sort of separation because acknowledging to yourself that you are rich makes you uncomfortable.
- omonra 11y agoOh no - I would have no problem admitting that. I'm a full-on classist and have no compunctions about it :) I'm not talking about myself here. That said - I do think that a family that earns just enough to maintain a 'middle class' lifestyle should be considered middle class.
- s_q_b 11y agoWell considering I lived well below the median level for several years, I'd like to think I have at least some idea of what it is like. I knew I could never afford a family or house at that level, much less retirement and college funds, so I put off having children, buying a home, etc.