How Class Works...

While doing research on my sociology assignment, I came across an article that the New York Times did in 2005. The article (interactive test) is “How Class Works”. This is an interactive test that you can take to see what your position is in our society. They use the four common criteria for gauging class: Occupation, Education, Income, and Wealth. There are roll over menus that you chose from and it tells you how important you are.

They also put other section on there so you can see how Class Breaks Down, Income Mobility, and the Nationwide Poll. It is a very interesting to see that what made class three years ago. In the income area they have $60,000 as upper middle class. I think that has changed over the last couple of years. Here are the stats for 2006:

Here's the five 2006 income brackets according to the US Census bureau:

$97,032 & above - Upper income

$60,000 - $97,032 - Upper middle income

$37,774 - $60,000 - Middle income

$20,035 - $37,774 - Lower middle income

below $20,035 - Lower income

So when you see today’s news that unemployment has reached a new low (5.5% and 49,000 jobs lost), prices going up and people staying at the same rate of pay, I think upper middle class has become lower middle class.

Here is the link for the NYT Class Test: