I'd imagine that's less so when you look at popular cities. The parent post wanted an opinion on middle class. My opinion is that middle class incomes in cities is around $200k (or should be if you want to be somewhat comfortable). I see houses all around me in Portland going for $800k, $900k, and $1mm plus. That's certainly much more than what a middle class income could afford. So considering those prices are fairly standard, the middle class income has to be at $200k. Whether that's reality or not the math just doesn't work any other way.
> So considering those prices are fairly standard, the middle class income has to be at $200k
I think there is a reason why everyone is railing/downvoting on Ryan here, and it's because of a difference in definition. There's two ways to define "middle class". One is by what you can afford: house, car, but not stuff like a private boat, etc. The other way is just by taking some middle percentage of the income brackets (middle 60% or whatever).
Historically[1], Ryan is actually right here. For the baby boomers, both groups are right because they overlap.
Much of the societal issues were seeing and will continue to see for the near future are because those groups are once again starting to not overlap (in certain areas, as highlighted by the original article).
[1] Right by historically, I mean that centuries ago the lower class was like 90% of the population or something... Middle Class was mostly not a thing.
In order to live in those cities you do need a household income of $200K+. But that is not middle class. In such cities the statistical middle class would be $50-75K, but as a percentage of the population it would be a small (and increasingly smaller) group... Which is the crux of the problem.
Nationwide the middle class is more like $40-50K (household income).
If your household (how many earners it is comprised of) is over $100K in annual earnings then you're in the top quartile (25%!) of the entire country in income, and decidedly not "middle class" (though, depending on where you live, you may or may not have enough to afford a home, much less a boat, a beach bungalow, eating out, going to the bars, etc.). Keep in mind that a lot of these cities are okay for singles, but once those singles get married and have kids they rapidly discover they can't afford the big city anymore and have to leave.
The argument was that middle class could afford a decent place in cities with lowered standards -- but you define middle class as "people who can afford a decent place in cities?" Surely you see the circularity here.
Those prices are not standard for Portland. There are tons of houses to be had in Portland for $300k-$500k. And many of those are in neighborhoods that most of America would consider insufferably hip.
