According to some data I forget where I read (does someone have the citation handy?) a family of 4 needs a household income of $76k/yr to support themselves in the SF Bay Area.
Assuming that that number is accurate, I do not at all feel guilty about calling my tech salary "middle class" when adjusted for cost of living.
In fact, a lot of people (at least in my family) consider 'middle class' to mean 'can afford a house'. By that measure, I'm lower class. I can barely afford rent aroun dhere.
Having lived in the area, I definitely agree. I think on the Peninsula it would be higher. Our federal system doesn't deal with these geographic disparities well, especially when it comes to things like federal taxes and college aid. $120k/year in a place like Mississippi really is wealthy though.
Assuming that that number is accurate, I do not at all feel guilty about calling my tech salary "middle class" when adjusted for cost of living.
In fact, a lot of people (at least in my family) consider 'middle class' to mean 'can afford a house'. By that measure, I'm lower class. I can barely afford rent aroun dhere.