Thing a coworker just said to me...

The_Jen626

We were discussing the new Portland Monthly "Money Issue" and it says in there that there are only 4 Chanel boutiques in the US, including the one in Portland.  I was shocked to read that, cause I don't think of Portland along the same lines as say, Miami, NY, LA... even Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle are much bigger cities.

He said "Well, Portland is generally a city of winners and losers.  You're either one or the other.  There is no middle class anymore here."

Not that I agree 100%, just thought that was a very interesting point of view.  I do think the middle class is disappearing all over, including Portland, but I think there is still some remnant here of middle class. 

I consider my inlaws to be the perfect example of middle class.  FIL works as a truck driver, and MIL works for the federal government.  They live in a medium sized house in SE Portland, and they have 2 kids in high school, and bought their daughter a new-ish car for her 17th birthday.

Thought this could make for an interesting discussion on our economy in general...Do you think the middle class is gone?  Do you think it will come back?  Is it important?

Thoughts?

OregonPachey

I think it's shrinking, however, I would consider myself and DH middle class.

My IL's too.

KariChadDora

Just a quick question in relation to this posting....  just what income (combined) level exactly is considered "middle class"? 

At the ages of 26 and 32, I definitely don't think of my husband and I being "upper class" but it has recently occured to me (after filing our taxes together for the first time) that perhaps the rest of the society would consider us "upper class" based on our combined income.  I would consider us middle class as well as my in-laws.  I would probably place my mother and her husband as low-middle class but definitely not poor. 

I most certainly think the middle class is important, as the middle class makes up the majority of "the working class."  Plus any society where there is such a vast difference in income levels is at an increased risk of crime... we need the "in-betweeners." 

MrsNWT

I feel middle class, although we make a combined income much, much more than our parents.  I would still consider my IL's and my dad as middle class. 

But each of us have considerably different lifestyles.  What "defines" middle class anymore?

Newbie33

http://tinyurl.com/2qz8cp Here's a story on "what is middle class" if anyone wants to listen. I didn't listen to it ... still in search of something written. I'm guessing Americans' definition of middle class is financially far above the reality. It's been a while since I've seen the numbers though.

Newbie33

From: "The researchers started by looking at income levels. Based on 2005 Census Bureau reports, some 40 percent of the nearly 115 million households in the U.S. earned less than $36,000 a year. That represented just 12 percent of all income. The 40 percent on the next rung up the economic ladder took in between $36,000 and $91,705 ? or about 37.6 percent of all income. The top 20 percent, who made $91,705 or more, collected half of all income. But those numbers don?t adequately reflect the state of mind of those who consider themselves middle class. Surveys have shown that, while people consider $40,000 a year to be the low end of what it takes to buy a middle-class life, some people who make as much as $200,000 a year still consider themselves middle class, the researchers said." In the beginning of the article, the author talks about how the middle feel squeezed. One family had a car, house, etc. While that may not be wealthy, it's certainly not bad. It kind of sounds to me like it's a case of 'keeping up with the Jones'. If middle can't really be defined, then it's more a feeling of not being able to have what we *think* we should have as a middle class. If you take most middle class families in the 50s, they had ONE car, ONE rabbit-eared television and ONE radio & phonograph (none of the CD, DVD players, etc we have now). That was considered middle and it was nice. Now, if you don't have multiple TVs, shop at Whole Foods, take a trip to Europe and have at least 2 cars in front of your 3 car garage home, you feel like you're not making ends meet.

Newbie33

oops, the article from MSN: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21272238/

Maryland

I would say we are very middle class, esp once DH quits his job when DD is born. I still feel like we are winners though. Whatever. It is all about being happy.

halston345

I agree, I still think there is a middle class, but it all has to do with what we consider middle class.  I would say we are on the low end of the middle class, we both are in our first jobs out of school and just starting our careers.  Both of our parents are probably more upper middle class with only one spouse working in both families (they are in the MidWest though, not PDX).  I think the criteria of what is considered "normal" and doing financially well has been so skewed over the years.  As the article said before, if you have a home, a car, the necessary things for easy everyday living, you are doing pretty good, but today's society does not consider it that way.  Of course I wish we had more things, I wish I could put curtains up and buy decent furniture, but I am warm, happy, have a few nice things, and hopefully the rest will follow suit!

PDX

I don't think middle class is gone.I grew up in a middle class family (locally), and DH and I currently fall into that category. Most of the young couples I know also seem to fall into that category, but I imagine as people progress in their careers some may move to the upper class category.

My question is if you have the house, gadgets, travel budget, etc but you also have little savings and large amounts of debt, does that still make you middle class?

Newbie33

"My question is if you have the house, gadgets, travel budget, etc but you also have little savings and large amounts of debt, does that still make you middle class? " I don't know if it makes you middle class but I'd guess it makes you typical. American seem to think debt is a right and someone else's responsibility. This goes straight to the President of the U.S. who doesn't mind spending our great-great-grandchildren's future to fund his war. I wish math classes, starting in elementary school, would incorporate the idea of saving and not relying on debt. For younger kids, it could be something as simply as, if I save 2 pennies each month for 12 months, how many pennies do I have? As they get older, things could become more complicated and involve more money principles. It would be a great way to bring practical, real life use of math into the classroom, which makes learning more fun and gives kids a life skill that too many people don't have (based on the massive amount of debt that some people accumulate).