What Is an Average Middle Class Salary Range?
By Stephanie Chandler, eHow ContributorThe 2008 census reported the medium income as $50,233.
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Poverty Line
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As of 2009, the poverty threshold as determined by the U.S. Census Bureau had not changed since 2006. For a family of four, it was $21,203. For a family of three, it was $16,530. For a family of two and unrelated individuals, it was $13,540 and $10,590, respectively.
U.S. Census Quintiles
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The U.S. Census Bureau breaks down the reported household incomes into quintiles (or five divisions). In 2007, the middle quintile reported an income range of $36,000 to $57,660. Many economists and politicians alike believe this range is too narrow to encompass the true middle class of America. Therefore, a more generous range would include the middle three quintiles, which makes the range from $19,178 to $91,705. This range accounts for 60 percent of all households, and with the lower end balancing near the poverty threshold, this range may not be completely accurate.
Median Income
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The 2008 census reported the medium income as $50,233. The PewResearch Center suggests that the middle income range is 75 percent to 150 percent of the median income. This would make the middle class income range $37,675 to $75,350. To most, this range seems small, and surveys conducted by the PewResearch Center find that many who fall outside this range still consider themselves middle class.
Economist's Views
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Economist Gary Burtless of Brookings Institution indicates that the middle class encompasses from one-half the median income to twice the median income. This would make the middle class income range $25,117 to $100,466. MIT economist Frank Levy believes that those in the middle class have enough money to afford the basic building blocks of a good life, including a house, a car and money to pay necessary bills. He suggests that families in their prime earning years are middle class if they fall between $30,000 and $90,000.
More Than Income
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Surveys conducted by the PewResearch Center confirm that salary, or income, range is not the only determining factor of what class a person considers himself. Four out of 10 Americans with incomes below $20,000 classify themselves as middle class. On the other end, one-third of those who enjoy incomes over $150,000 say they are middle class.
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