New Jersey: How to Tell If You’re Still Middle Income
What is middle income or middle class these days? It’s difficult to tell. Inflation and other factors have caused the middle income line to change, but often times, salaries have stayed the same. Many companies have also not been raising salaries to equal inflation, so it’s possible that if you were once considered middle class, you aren’t anymore. So, how can you tell if you’re still middle income in New Jersey? It’s a complex question, but thankfully, we have a simple answer.
The information comes from ConsumerAffairs.com. They spoke with Oliver Rust, head of product at independent inflation data aggregator Truflation. Rust commented, “Historically, the middle class has been the engine of American economic growth and prosperity. Yet we’re now seeing the middle class capturing a lower share of income than in the 60s, 70s and 80s.” Rust added that the middle class has shrunk from about 60% since the mid-2000s. He also mentioned that inflation isn’t the only factor. There are many reasons the middle class is shrinking.
New Jersey: How to Tell If You’re Still Middle Income
So, what is middle class in our state and the rest of the country? ConsumerAffairs used information from the Pew Research Center calculator and an inflation calculator from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the current numbers. The number they came up with is the minimum annual income required in 2023 for a family of four to be middle class in our state. That number is $80,163. When looking at the other numbers on this list, it appears that’s quite a bit about average. Some states have much higher salaries, such as Hawaii with $82,630. But, most states have lower numbers. Let’s hope the future, more people can work their way back into that middle class tier, because it really is the American dream. Find the full study on the numbers here.
If you are middle class, maybe you can afford a trip to one of these beautiful areas for fall colors. See below.