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The difference between upper middle and upper class

I'd say upper-middle class is well off, but money is still an object. They still have to account for their finances like the rest of the middle class, they just have nicer things. Whereas the upper class you're basically "rich" and can spend money without thinking about it too much.

Its a pretty fine line though.
 
It's a rather murky definition. Where one starts and the other ends would probably be different for each person who defined it. However I think it's safe to say that anyone earning say 100k a year or so is upper middle class while someone earning a million a year is definitely upper class but again where to draw the dividing line?

I'll take a stab at it and put the line at 200k a year. That might be a bit high?
 
That's a really good question. I believe a lot of people think of $200k per year as upper class, or even $150k, but I think that is now upper middle. I think upper class is maybe $350k per year or more.
 
I also think how you live your life has some part in it. IE, Dude #1 makes 300k but spends frugally lives like someone who makes 60,000k. Dude #2 makes 180k and lives like he makes 180k. then what?
 
Originally posted by: Frackal

What do you think constitutes upper middle class versus upper class?
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Yeah, I'll go with that Deeko said. Upper Middle class earn a good income, but still need to watch what they spend. A single guy earning $100k a year would fit that example. Upper class can basically buy whatever they want within reason. Someone with a million in the bank and on $300k a year would be upper class.
 
Originally posted by: Deeko
I'd say upper-middle class is well off, but money is still an object. They still have to account for their finances like the rest of the middle class, they just have nicer things. Whereas the upper class you're basically "rich" and can spend money without thinking about it too much.
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pretty much how I've always thought of it.
 
God you people worry a lot about status. Go visit the old folks home, then a prison and a cancer treatment center. Most of you are on top of the world and don't even know it.
 
I think it depends on where you live as well... good luck getting a decent home here in Stamford, CT where the average home price is more than 500K >_< (damn bankers)
 
Upper middle class, basically you can afford a 3000sq house is a decent neighborhood, able to send your kids to private school, has a 25 foot boat for weekend.

Upper class, you have an Ferrari Enzo (or able to afford any one million dollar vehicles).
 
Originally posted by: Deeko
I'd say upper-middle class is well off, but money is still an object. They still have to account for their finances like the rest of the middle class, they just have nicer things. Whereas the upper class you're basically "rich" and can spend money without thinking about it too much.

Its a pretty fine line though.
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I agree, i know someone who falls under the upper-middle class, they have a huge house, nice car but basically live paycheck to paycheck because they're paying everything off.
 
It's not that 40k is poverty. It's that 200k doesn't buy what it used to, and it's not enough to make you not worry about money.

I'll give you an example and put myself out there. My wife and I make between $150k and $200k a year. We do live in a very nice house (3000 square feet plus another 1500 square feet in the finished basement with a theater room.) We drive nice cars - both of us now drive Acura TL's. We save a reasonable amount (a little more than the 6 percent that our company matches) and we travel a least once a year to Brazil to see my wife's family.

But we also both work, our daughter goes to public school for kindergarten and a very much middle-class day care after school. We eat out maybe three times a week, and it's not unusual for us to eat fast food (less so now since I started losing weight). I cut my own grass, and while we have someone to help clean the house a few days a week, my wife still cooks most meals on the weekends and washes clothes.

So I wouldn't call us upper class by any stretch. I appreciate the good life we have, but we both have to work for it, and it's not like we go to the country club and sip mint juleps all day. My life sounds to me like it's solidly in the middle class, albeit maybe a little more money than most.
 
Originally posted by: LS21
UM shows off to pass as upper class
upper class avoids association with UM class
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Yep.
Also, the UC can basically live off of the interest from their investments, but not necessarily can the UMC.
 
Originally posted by: Rio Rebel
It's not that 40k is poverty. It's that 200k doesn't buy what it used to, and it's not enough to make you not worry about money.

I'll give you an example and put myself out there. My wife and I make between $150k and $200k a year. We do live in a very nice house (3000 square feet plus another 1500 square feet in the finished basement with a theater room.) We drive nice cars - both of us now drive Acura TL's. We save a reasonable amount (a little more than the 6 percent that our company matches) and we travel a least once a year to Brazil to see my wife's family.

But we also both work, our daughter goes to public school for kindergarten and a very much middle-class day care after school. We eat out maybe three times a week, and it's not unusual for us to eat fast food (less so now since I started losing weight). I cut my own grass, and while we have someone to help clean the house a few days a week, my wife still cooks most meals on the weekends and washes clothes.

So I wouldn't call us upper class by any stretch. I appreciate the good life we have, but we both have to work for it, and it's not like we go to the country club and sip mint juleps all day. My life sounds to me like it's solidly in the middle class, albeit maybe a little more money than most.
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qft. my parents are the same. my dad's annual income is typically somewhere around 150k-250k. My mom works part time at a day care. at first glance, some might assume we are upper middle class based on the numbers. But you wouldn't say so judging from actions. My Dad is and always has been frugal as hell. He still drives a 1995 Camry LE and we live in a 1600 sq ft house. Granted, its California, but both my parents have always been super conservative. We eat out maybe once or twice a week at most, and it's never extravagant. Now that he is approaching ~$1.5mil he's about ready to retire at the end of this year (he's 60).
 
Let's also not forget, that the UMC is still part of the middle class, it's just they have more money.
The uppers, however, not only have more money, but live in an entirely different state of mind than most of us- life is a game to them, they want people who can play the game and know the rules, and of course, naturally it's other upper class people.
 
Ive alwasy heard that the upper class doesnt need to work, they can live their lifestyle by living off their investments. Its tough to put dollar amounts as borders because cost of living varies greatly. A million bucks in Palo Alto buys you a 2 bdr condo, or a few acres in texas, take your pick.

 
You're either rich or not rich. No need for all this lower middle class, middle class, upper middle class, etc BS.
 
I think you are no longer in the middle class and have moved to the upper-middle class if you are affected by the Alternative Minimum Tax.

You are upper class or rich when your interest or investment earnings can cover your normal living expenses without working for another penny.

The AMT may be a logical point that separates middle from upper-middle but defining rich or upper class is tricky.
 
Originally posted by: Naustica
You're either rich or not rich. No need for all this lower middle class, middle class, upper middle class, etc BS.
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You're either happy or not happy. No need for class at all, whether "rich" or any of the others.
 
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