<p>I can tell you that my father was middle income. He proudly considered himself “upper middle income” since he the was over the mid point but well in the mid 50% of the household income . But our family seemed much better off than those of my peers, largely because of my mothers fantastic money management and housekeeping skills, and the priorities that my family had. </p>
<p>When I went off to college, whole other story. On my dorm floor, three of the girls came from downright wealthy family, and the rest were all very much uppermiddle or upper income levels, without any question. I believe my family was the second “poorest” on the floor. </p>
<p>Yet my roommate, whose parents were both full time CUNY professors, lived in a small apartment, not a house, but apartment in Queens, NY, shared a single bedroom with two brothers (she was female), and that apartment was about the size of my parents’ 4 bedroom house in Georgia. Yet I think my parents paid a quarter of what my roommates parents were paying for their apartment. </p>