Dear Bernard,,

Do you consider yourself middle class? If you are like me, maybe it depends on the day and the situation.

I think many of us feel we are not average, yet when we look in the mirror as a whole, we tend to be like the people we hang around with. Our friends generally reflect our lifestyle and attitude. While we are the sum of all of our experiences, we also have the experiences of our society as well.

MSN recently published a survey looking at what it means to be middle class in each state. As you can imagine, the income levels varied from state to state and even by as much as $30,000 within a state itself.

The U.S. Census Bureau  generally defines middle class as households with incomes between two-thirds and double the national median household income. This amount is currently $77,719. Therefore, middle class would have a household income ranging from $52,072 - $155,438.

However, if you think about it, trying to live on $52,000 in California or Massachusetts (the most expensive state) may make you feel impoverished. On the flip side, here in Michigan, $155,000 per year can allow you a decent standard of living.

Of course, you may feel impoverished at any income if you find you consistently spend more than you make. If you are able to spend below your income then the reverse can be true. After all, it is not always about what you make, but what you spend.

The MSN article went on to list each state. As was stated above, the priciest state for living a middle class lifestyle is Massachusetts, where you would need between $66,565 and $199,716 to live comfortably. Surprisingly California is not second or even third. The next two states are also east coast: New Jersey ($66,514 to $199,562) and Maryland ($65,779 to $197,356).

At the bottom of the list you would find Mississippi. Numbers for this state are between $36,132 and $108,406.

In the Midwest, Illinois comes in at 18 with middle class income of $52,532 - $160,612, Indiana is 37 at $43,313 - $138,954, and Michigan is 38 with incomes of $46,117 - $138,366.

If you would like to read more, or see the full list, you can click on the link below:

Middle Class Incomes

As always, thanks for reading.

Bernie & Chad