<p>Madison, what difference does it make in terms of financial aid whether he is middle class or not? That’s all that really matter in this case. Are you middle class in terms of getting financial aid from colleges? No, I don’t think that an income of $200K or so is going to make me think that family is “middle class” here in the US. Might live like a middle class family, but that income allows a cushion, privileges whether in spending or safety, neighborhood even if the house is the most modest in an area, but the numbers themselves preclude that classification, IMO. And that of any official purpose. Anyone can make up loose,narrative definitions, but when it comes to anything that counts, like getting financial aid or to be so categorized officially, it comes down to something objective, not subjective, and the $ amounts will prevail. </p>
<p>My brother is “middle class”, maybe even not that in his area in that he lives in probably the bottom of the rung house in that neighborhood, town, and meets all the other cirterion that you list. I’m not kidding when I say the house is very small, smaller than most trailer homes. But with what they make in income, that they are living in that neighborhood, that they partake in every free, and nearly free cultural event and do so actively, that both parents are highly educated, the public school has a very high rating, the highest actually in certain national ratings puts them in a category that is hardly middle class. Not at an income that is about $200K–never mind how little of that second income makes it home after child care, transportation,marginal tax rates get their bites out that. </p>