These Are The Signs That You’re “Middle Class”

When you hear the term “middle class,” you might assume that the majority of the US population falls into that category. While that may be true, a study from the Pew Research Center suggests that the middle class is shrinking.

Some people in the middle class are proud to be there because it means they’re not poor; others are ashamed and try to pretend that they’re part of the upper class. So what’s the reality, and how do you define “middle class?”

You Earn Between $48,500 And $145,500

Pew Research Center uses the size-adjusted household income and the cost of living in your area to determine your income tier. Middle-income households are those with an income that is two-thirds to double the US median household income.

That income range was from around $48,500 to $145,500 in 2018. All figures were computed for three-person households, adjusted for the cost of living in a metropolitan area, and expressed in 2018 dollars.