General Discussion

JustAnotherGen

(38,064 posts)

11. I live in one of the

Fri Mar 1, 2013, 04:16 PM

Mar 2013

Wealthiest counties in the US (Somerset County, NJ) - That's 'middle' class here.

But - when I moved here I also researched job opps in Dayton Ohio - and hey -even Lincoln Nebraska (Moved from Rochester NY). In Dayton- I was looking at apartments (back in 2006) - 1 bedroom - top of the line for less than $600. Lincoln - $500 range.

Bridgewater NJ - Good luck keeping your commute to Basking Ridge (exhorbitant - town of mansions -can't live there as a worker bee) down to under half an hour and getting away with anything less than $1300 a month.

Yep - Boundbrook IS an option - if you don't mind MS-13 being your neighbor. Manville too - except it floods - like BAD - constantly. Ditto Boundbrook. Newark (cheap living out there) is indeed cheaper - but - REALLY? Commute and hour and 15 to 1 and a half hours each way for a 35-40 mile commute? No way.

The home and rental prices are driven by telecom and pharma alley in this area.

I see though you are in CA - Depending on where you are there - the home/rent is VERY similar. Just having been head hunted by Qualcomm, Nokia, LG, etc. etc. . . . But they match your salary for greater NYC so you can afford to live.

I find it VERY sad that you cannot live in Bridgewater AND work there in a service industry job.

Just like I find it sad that you can't live in Basking Ridge AND work there in a double income no kid marriage making more than $200K a year.

And there are idiots 'getting by' because they just HAD to have that $800K home in Basking Ridge. And that's the bottom tier.

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If an income of $200k/year is "middle class".... [View all] YoungDemCA Mar 2013 OP

I've always scratch my head when I see people say $200k/yr is middle class. octothorpe Mar 2013 #1

Honestly, while I would be thrilled to have that salary, Proles Mar 2013 #25

Way to miss the point. Ruby the Liberal Mar 2013 #44

What It Means, Sir, Is That 'Middle Class' as Generally Used Is Obfuscation And Deception The Magistrate Mar 2013 #2

Agree with most of this... YoungDemCA Mar 2013 #5

Those fit into the doctor and lawyer examples, IMO (nt) jeff47 Mar 2013 #12

There Is Something To That, Sir The Magistrate Mar 2013 #17

There's also now a large group of Americans who make a very good living in entertainment. KittyWampus Mar 2013 #22

No, there aren't. Their numbers have grown, but they are an insignificant percentage. Egalitarian Thug Mar 2013 #33

And Sports. KittyWampus Mar 2013 #35

Not even close. Add every member of every professional team in every sport and you Egalitarian Thug Mar 2013 #39

I have a nephew that related a story about his friends (a couple) R. Daneel Olivaw Mar 2013 #3

Middle class in their minds nachosgrande Mar 2013 #4

Has nothing to do with 'heavy taxes' and everything to do with high cost of living. nt stevenleser Mar 2013 #26

I agree, that's why us on the lower end, need to rethink this 99% Puzzledtraveller Mar 2013 #6

I think it could be considered "middle class" in the sense of "labor class" phantom power Mar 2013 #7

The difference between middle class and upper class isn't income, it's wealth. Xithras Mar 2013 #8

That's the distinction right there spinbaby Mar 2013 #13

I've also often been confused when people will say certain professions don't pay well riderinthestorm Mar 2013 #9

When I see these numbers, I doubt that I am alive. Perhaps I'm only a hallucination. freshwest Mar 2013 #10

I live in one of the JustAnotherGen Mar 2013 #11

You know what the real point of getting people to debate whether or not 200K is middle class is? winter is coming Mar 2013 #14

Exactly. I point to the 1955 tax brackets to make that point (inflation adjusted) JHB Mar 2013 #27

$200k a year sulphurdunn Mar 2013 #15

$200K, give or take, is the top end of the middle third of the income distribution Recursion Mar 2013 #16

The most revealing thing about present circumstances Tsiyu Mar 2013 #18

It all depends on what you mean by "middle class" FreeJoe Mar 2013 #19

Here, let the WSJ explain it to you ... dawg Mar 2013 #20

Where the hell did they get these examples? n/t Ron Green Mar 2013 #24

I'm working on the assumption the WSJ has a pretty good handle on, Sen. Walter Sobchak Mar 2013 #29

They pulled them ... dawg Mar 2013 #30

Who doesn't have an annual retirement income of $180,000? Ruby the Liberal Mar 2013 #45

That there is a broad middle class is an illusion. Paul E Ester Mar 2013 #21

Another definitional quandary dmallind Mar 2013 #23

Good post... cbrer Mar 2013 #36

I like how you put this. octothorpe Mar 2013 #43

Well stated! Ruby the Liberal Mar 2013 #46

It used to be $90K for a family of four was middle class KurtNYC Mar 2013 #28

The 1% are the problem. I have no problem with those making $200,000. They are not pampango Mar 2013 #31

They should be but, by and large, they are not. Egalitarian Thug Mar 2013 #32

I believe that Romney won the $200,000+ folks by about 55%-45%. You are right that pampango Mar 2013 #34

I guess that makes my wife and me "untypical". cbrer Mar 2013 #37

Well you're here, so that makes you atypical, your household income is in the top 10%, that Egalitarian Thug Mar 2013 #40

They are easily within the top 5% Demo_Chris Mar 2013 #41

The answer to that question is "working class" Spider Jerusalem Mar 2013 #38

This guy explained it well: bvar22 Mar 2013 #42