Monday, August 17, 2015

Who is middle class?

There is no definition of middle class by the U.S. government.  There are approximately 117 million households in America, 36% of households fall in the poverty range (Under $15 – $35K annual income), 43% of households are between $35K to $100K. 16% are between $100K and $200K and nearly 4% are above $200K annual income levels as of 2009. After 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau confirms that the upper open-ended interval for which to assist in calculating the median income is $250,000, being that is the considered upper class income. So Middle Class could safely be considered above $35K and below $100K annual income levels, which is 43% of American Households.  The Black alone households total 14.7 million. Of that, approximately 38.4% are in the middle class, with earnings between $35K – $100K annually.  Their household income has gone down under Obama.  Because the Census looks at Households, the middle class, if shrinking, is doing so because of single women raising families with no husband. I’m no math whiz, but two incomes equal more than one income in most cases. Marriage of their parents who have finished high school, and have a job, any job, almost guarantees that children will not grow up in poverty. Not growing up in poverty, is probably the single best way to achieve Middle Class status, better than any socialist or government transfer program, which tends to keep people down and “in their place.”

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2009, Current Population Reports, Consumer Income

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