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Yes. Marriage is an essential component to being middle class. All of the white twenty somethings in my department got married within the past four years. For some reason, they receive multiple promotions in a short period of time. They make $75,000 by age 25 and marry someone whose salary is comparable. Within their first year of marriage, they buy homes in New Jersey or Long Island with the help of family. Mortgages are not that high if you are able to put down 20%.
Goodness, I didn't realize that OZZIE AND HARRIET was still on TV.
I cant disagree with you here plus you get a rep. Government does want people to get married and their are tax incentives for people who are married.
I'd love for that to actually happen---what tax incentive? Ever since we got married, we've done nothing but owe the government money, which we didn't owe making similar salaries when we were single. Honestly, people always say that, and I'd really love to know how that works without having your spouse as your dependent.
Yes. Marriage is an essential component to being middle class. All of the white twenty somethings in my department got married within the past four years. For some reason, they receive multiple promotions in a short period of time. They make $75,000 by age 25 and marry someone whose salary is comparable. Within their first year of marriage, they buy homes in New Jersey or Long Island with the help of family. Mortgages are not that high if you are able to put down 20%.
how do you know everything? it seems that gays and lesbians have taken over marriage in much of this country. this place is all upside down.
Socioeconomics- one of my favorite topics. Class is a combination of things but in NYC it seems there's a large range of what is "middle class". It can even vary borough by borough... I hear some Manhattan residents defining themselves as being middle class when their household income is $200,000+ per year; I'm not sure if they're comparing themselves to millionaires but defining yourself as middle class while earning six figures will get you some very confused looks in the rest of the country.
Then there are people who earn around the average of national average of around $45,000 in the outer boroughs and maintain solid middle class lifestyle.
Quote:
Originally Posted by likeminas
My household is the epitome of what middle class is.
College educated, white collar jobs, no debt and with enough savings to live without having to work for 2 yrs.
That's more along the lines of upper middle class or being affluent IMO.
Socioeconomics- one of my favorite topics. Class is a combination of things but in NYC it seems there's a large range of what is "middle class". It can even vary borough by borough... I hear some Manhattan residents defining themselves as being middle class when their household income is $200,000+ per year; I'm not sure if they're comparing themselves to millionaires but defining yourself as middle class while earning six figures will get you some very confused looks in the rest of the country.
Then there are people who earn around the average of national average of around $45,000 in the outer boroughs and maintain solid middle class lifestyle.
That's more along the lines of upper middle class or being affluent IMO.
I don't consider my household to be affluent or upper middle class but I think you're correct in pointing out the contrasting differences of what 'middle class' could mean to different people, when asked that question.
The term 'Middle class' is so broad that common measures of what constitutes middle class vary significantly among cultures and geographical localtions.
In NYC in particular, speaking in terms of household income, I think we could all agree that it's gonna be definitely higher than most places in America.
It also makes a lot of difference in the NYC area to not own a home - one has more financial flexibility and less pressure to meet mandatory debt payments especially after a job loss.
I don't consider my household to be affluent or upper middle class but I think you're correct in pointing out the contrasting differences of what 'middle class' could mean to different people, when asked that question.
The term 'Middle class' is so broad that common measures of what constitutes middle class vary significantly among cultures and geographical localtions.
In NYC in particular, speaking in terms of household income, I think we could all agree that it's gonna be definitely higher than most places in America.
I wouldn't consider you upper middle class or affluent based on your description, considering I'm in a similar boat and definitely don't see myself that way! However, when you consider how much of the population is not as 'fortunate' as that, then you can understand how you might be viewed that way. This city is expensive. Just look at a recent post where someone was asking what the equivalent of a $55K salary in Vegas is in NYC, and it was over $100k...
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They make $75,000 by age 25 and marry someone whose salary is comparable. Within their first year of marriage, they buy homes in New Jersey or Long Island with the help of family. Mortgages are not that high if you are able to put down 20%.
