I'd say if you're single and make over $100k/yr you're comfortably on the higher end of middle class.
When maxing retirement accounts, buying property etc. are things that don't squeeze you, you're in a good position.
I'm not totally there myself because I have some things to pay off but once that is done I'm effectively a approaching an upper middle
class person.
At that point, I don't have to choose between my future and now because I get to enjoy both.
Though I truly feel upper middle class, "elite" starts around $180k- $200k (for reference, the woman I'm currently speaking to
is in this range and is only in her first year as an attorney 1 at a nice law firm, if she stays and promotes up, she will comfortably
surpass my lifetime earnings unless I somehow luck up into a Vice President position in my current field).
If we date seriously and combine our incomes, we'll be an upper middle class/wealthy black family and she'll be the breadwinner
something I'm fine with tbh.
I like these wealth conversations because
Just reminds me of where I'm at and what I need to do to get to the next stage.