this post was submitted on 03 Sep 2025
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Work Reform

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[–] forrgott@lemmy.zip 104 points 10 months ago (1 children)

If you’re upper-income, earning over $100,000, things are good … What we see with middle- and lower-income consumers, it’s actually a different story.

When had this ever not been true? What a windbag.

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 94 points 10 months ago (3 children)

Over $100K ain't chump change, but that also isn't the line where "upper income" starts.

https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/heres-minimum-salary-required-be-considered-upper-class-2025

The Pew Research Center defines upper-income households as having incomes greater than $169,800, based on three-person households. For a household with a single earner and no additional income, that $169,800 is the minimum salary required to be upper class. With two earners, each with the same salary, that minimum would be $84,900 each.

[–] Reyali@lemmy.world 39 points 10 months ago (2 children)

And the difference between that level of “upper class” vs the truly wealthy is insane.

Unless you’re in places like CA or NYC, $170k allows for a very comfortable life. It’s nothing to scoff at and it is absolutely beyond what most people in this country have.

But when thinking of the “upper class,” I think most people picture lush lives. Mansions, yachts, foreign vacations, private schools, house staff, etc.

I don’t think most people imagine someone who lives in a nice suburban neighborhood, saves enough money for retirement that they actually expect to retire in their 60s, and takes a modest vacation every year. But that’s closer to what $170k gets you. It’s comfortable and it’s a life most people would kill to have. But it’s a whole lot closer to a stereotyped “middle class” experience than it is to what most people imagine “upper class” to look like.

[–] MajorasTerribleFate@lemmy.zip 10 points 10 months ago

I was curious how many U.S. households earn at least $170k, and this website responded to asking about 170k by saying that the 80th percentile is $165,068.

[–] Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 10 months ago

You lost me at "vacation", like that's a real thing? (/s)

[–] chunes@lemmy.world 5 points 10 months ago (2 children)

uh there are still loads of people living on like 30k/yr. you 100k people will fucking live

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 7 points 10 months ago

I never suggested otherwise. I was pointing out how disconnected from reality the really “upper income” CEO is.

[–] SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

The only people you should be concerned about are the ones in the 270k/yr and up tax bracket.

100k/yr isn't enough in a lot of places.

[–] DireTech@sh.itjust.works 4 points 10 months ago

This has gotta be some AI drivel. It even tried to say upper class in San Francisco starts at $69k so unless they’re talking about 1930 this is nonsense.