Sure, except that the perception of the middle class is significantly screwed (at least in the US, but probably similar up north).
In the US, the median household income is $51,404[1]. So, the middle class should probably be centered around that number. Say, $35000 to $75000 or so. I bet your looking at that number and saying "No way! I'm middle class and my household income is $150k!" Well, turns out that basically everyone thinks the same way regardless of what their incomes are.[2]
So it becomes pretty hard to nail down exactly what defines the various classes in the USA. Especially with the cost of living differences across the country.
Take a look at Rich Blocks, Poor Blocks[3] and spend a little time clicking around the map. The zip code I live in has a median household income of $38,646 and the site suggests the middle class income range for the state is $53,264 to $68,300.
I think the middle class is defined to be those people who have enough income that mere survival is not a daily concern, but do not have so much money they don't have to work.
That is, indeed, most people, which is why further divisions are useful, and so we talk of "lower-middle" and "upper-middle".
In the US, the median household income is $51,404[1]. So, the middle class should probably be centered around that number. Say, $35000 to $75000 or so. I bet your looking at that number and saying "No way! I'm middle class and my household income is $150k!" Well, turns out that basically everyone thinks the same way regardless of what their incomes are.[2]
So it becomes pretty hard to nail down exactly what defines the various classes in the USA. Especially with the cost of living differences across the country.
Take a look at Rich Blocks, Poor Blocks[3] and spend a little time clicking around the map. The zip code I live in has a median household income of $38,646 and the site suggests the middle class income range for the state is $53,264 to $68,300.
Anyway, middle class is a loaded term.
1 - http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/03/29/c...
2 - http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/27/everyone-is-mid...
3 - http://www.richblockspoorblocks.com/