Editing Upper middle class (section)

===Income===
{{Further|Affluence in the United States|Household income in the United States|Personal income in the United States}}
While many Americans cite [[Income in the United States|income]] as the prime determinant of class, occupational status, [[Educational attainment in the United States|educational attainment]], and value systems are equally important variables. Income is in part determined by the scarcity of certain skill sets.{{sfn|Thompson|Hickey|2005}} An occupation that requires a scarce skill set which is attained through higher [[Educational attainment in the United States|educational degree]], and which involves higher autonomy, responsibility and influence, will usually offer higher economic compensation. Qualifying for such higher [[Income in the United States|income]] often requires that individuals obtain the necessary skills (e.g., by attending law, medical, or [[postgraduate school]]) and demonstrate the necessary competencies.{{sfn|Levine|1998}} There are also differences between [[Household income in the United States|household]] and [[Personal income in the United States|individual income]]. In 2005, 42% of US households (76% among the [[Income quintiles|top quintile]]) had two or more [[income earner]]s; as a result, 18% of households but only 5% of individuals had [[six-figure income]]s.<ref name="US Census Bureau, shuuush income quintile and top 5% household income distribution and demographic characteristics, 2006">{{cite web|url=http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032006/hhinc/new05_000.htm|title=US Census Bureau, income quintile and top 5% household income distribution and demographic characteristics, 2006|access-date=28 December 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070104041618/http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032006/hhinc/new05_000.htm|archive-date=4 January 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> To illustrate, two nurses each making $55,000 per year can out-earn, in a household sense, a single attorney who makes a median of $95,000 annually.<ref name="US Department of Labor, median income of registered nurses">{{cite web|url=http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm#earnings|title=US Department of Labor, median income of registered nurses|access-date=2 January 2007}}</ref><ref name="Bureau of Labor statistics data published by Monster.com, 20 highest paying jobs">{{cite web|url=http://content.salary.monster.com/articles/salary/highestpay/|title=Bureau of Labor statistics data published by Monster.com, 20 highest paying jobs|access-date=27 December 2006|archive-date=27 December 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061227085649/http://content.salary.monster.com/articles/salary/highestpay/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Sociologists Dennis Gilbert, William Thompson and Joseph Hickey estimate the upper middle class to constitute roughly 15% of the population. Using the 15% figure one may conclude that the American upper middle class consists, strictly in an income sense, of professionals with [[Personal income in the United States|personal incomes]] in excess of $62,500 ($101,000 in 2024 dollars), who commonly reside in households with six-figure incomes.{{sfnm |1a1=Gilbert |1y=1998 |2a1=Thompson |2a2=Hickey |2y=2005}}<ref name="US Census Bureau, shuuush income quintile and top 5% household income distribution and demographic characteristics, 2006" /><ref name="US Census Bureau, distribution of personal income, 2006">{{cite web|url=http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032006/perinc/new01_001.htm|title=US Census Bureau, distribution of personal income, 2006|access-date=9 December 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061223153830/http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032006/perinc/new01_001.htm|archive-date=23 December 2006|df=dmy-all}}</ref>  The difference between personal and household income can be explained by considering that 76% of households with incomes exceeding $90,000 (the top 20%, $170,000 to cross this threshold in 2020 dollars) had two or more income earners.<ref name="US Census Bureau, shuuush income quintile and top 5% household income distribution and demographic characteristics, 2006" /> In 2024, the threshold for entering the top 15% of American household incomes is $202,000 <ref name="Household Income Percentile Calculator for the United States in 2020">{{cite web|url= https://dqydj.com/household-income-percentile-calculator/ |title= Household Income Percentile Calculator for the United States in 2020 |access-date=8 February 2020}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable
|+ Income statistics (2006)<ref name="US Census Bureau, overall household income distribution, 2006"/><ref name="US Census Bureau, personal income distribution, age 25+, 2006"/>
!Data
!Top third
!Top quarter
!Top quintile
!Top 15%
!Top 10%
!Top 5%
|-
!colspan=10|[[Household income in the United States|Household income]]<ref name="US Census Bureau, overall household income distribution, 2006">{{cite web|url=http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032006/hhinc/new06_000.htm|title=US Census Bureau, overall household income distribution, 2006|access-date=28 December 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070104041530/http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032006/hhinc/new06_000.htm|archive-date=4 January 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|-
|Lower threshold (annual gross income)||$65,000||$80,000||$91,705||$100,000||$118,200||$166,200
|-
|Exact percentage of households ||34.72%||25.60%||20.00%||17.80%||10.00%||5.00%
|-
!colspan=10|[[Personal income in the United States|Personal income]] (age 25+)<ref name="US Census Bureau, personal income distribution, age 25+, 2006">{{cite web|url=http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032006/perinc/new03_001.htm|title=US Census Bureau, personal income distribution, age 25+, 2006|access-date=28 December 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070319232115/http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032006/perinc/new03_001.htm|archive-date=19 March 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|-
|Lower threshold (annual gross income)||$37,500||$47,500||$52,500||$62,500||$75,000||$100,000
|-
|Exact percentage of individuals||33.55%||24.03%||19.74%||14.47%||10.29%||5.63%
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+
Income statistics (2024) (source from 2006, inflation adjusted)<ref name="US Census Bureau, overall household income distribution, 2006" /><ref name="US Census Bureau, personal income distribution, age 25+, 2006" />
!Data
!Top third
!Top quarter
!Top quintile
!Top 15%
!Top 10%
!Top 5%
|-
! colspan="10" |[[Household income in the United States|Household income]]<ref name="US Census Bureau, overall household income distribution, 2006" />
|-
|Lower threshold (annual gross income)||$103,000||$127,000||$145,000||$158,618||$187,000||$263,000
|-
|Exact percentage of households ||34.72%||25.60%||20.00%||17.80%||10.00%||5.00%
|-
! colspan="10" |[[Personal income in the United States|Personal income]] (age 25+)<ref name="US Census Bureau, personal income distribution, age 25+, 2006" />
|-
|Lower threshold (annual gross income)||$59,000||$75,000||$83,000||$99,000||$119,000||$159,000
|-
|Exact percentage of individuals||33.55%||24.03%||19.74%||14.47%||10.29%||5.63%
|-
|}


The above income thresholds may vary greatly based on region due to significant differences in average income based on region and urban, suburban, or rural development. In more expensive suburbs, the threshold for the top 15% of income earners may be much higher. For example, in 2006 the [[Highest-income counties in the United States|ten highest income counties]] had median household incomes of $85,000 compared to a national average of about $50,000. The top 15% of all US income earners nationally tend to be more concentrated in these richer suburban counties where the [[cost of living]] is also higher. If middle-class households earning between the 50th percentile ($46,000) and the 85th percentile ($62,500) tend to live in lower cost of living areas, then their difference in ''[[real income]]'' may be [[Real versus nominal value (economics)|smaller than what the differences in nominal income suggest]].