U.S. Middle Class nearly gone

[RolloTheGreat]

You can't survive on $70K where I live with 3 kids.  Not even close.  My wife and I make considerably more than that and we just eek by by the time we have paid for everything.  Rollo you're forgetting things like student debt.  Plus there are always unexpected expenses that crop up, particularly when you own your own home.

Just as an example of a couple of my bills, I pay over $1300/month for daycare for 2 kids, plus I try to pay at least $500/month toward my student loans.  That's a really huge chunk of my after tax income right there.  Plus I pay for the car and all the related expenses along with several other bills (internet, TV, cellphone).  My wife covers the cost of the house and the electric/water/gas bills.  By the time we pay for food and everything else we have very little money left over (if any).

I would say that yes, you could live off that if you don't live in the city, but let's face it, the big cities are where most of the good jobs are and it's where most people who make a decent living are going to live.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhome...6985-92518

A $339,000 house in Washington DC

http://www.firstweber.com/homes/1505686_...r-WI-54467

A $339,000 house in Plover, WI

Starting to see why what you guys think of as "reality" just isn't everywhere?

There's no doubt a family of five living on $70K gross is decidedly middle class. There's also no doubt it can be done without resorting to eating government cheese and driving $1000 beaters.

Those people may miss out on going to Disney or the Carribean, but I'd also argue they need to less because where they live is so much more relaxing and aesthetically pleasing than the cities.